Shadow of a Doubt
by Vityaz
Summary: Veteran Legionnaires fight the long war in the 42 Millenia.. but for the Emperor and Terra. There are those who still live from the Great Crusade, and they walk in the shadow where the Emperors Light directs them. First story on here, so any thoughts on the story are greatly appreciated. Ratings changed to M for a bit of graphic violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Shadow of a Doubt**

 **Chapter 1**

Commander Kyreg opened his eyes and for a moment, he pictured that he could still see the bridge of his beloved former home for a moment but it was not to be. It was 10 thousand years too late for that. He shifted slightly as he stood watching the blue uniformed serfs manning the Kilo Zeta, a vanguard class strike cruiser that was the home of the Shrouded. 10 thousand years ago, he would have been part of the 8th but now in the year M42 he was just a relic, perhaps a mistake made by those who battled in the Warp now. His cameoline cloak made no sound as the Legionnaire turned to look at the blue clad figure standing one foot in front of the command throne of the strike cruiser, one of the last few Artificer Centurions, Maygis.

A polite cough shook Kyreg from his reminiscence, the sound from behind him causing him to shift his armoured body to regard the source of the sound. Three Legionnaires stood in a relaxed pattern five feet away from him, stalker pattern combi-bolters locked to their armour, power axes strapped to their backs, and the power daggers unique to his former Legion locked to their armoured shoulder pauldrons. This was Xythos, his own unit that had followed him all the way here, from the killing fields of Istavaan to the small brown planet of Tythen V which rested at the edge of the Ultima Segmentum.

"Commander. We were summoned." The legionnaire standing foremost bowed his head slightly in respect to Kyreg. Their armour were the same dusk blue as his own, armour that has been repaired, modified, each was artificer armour in its own right. The Mark IV Maximus pattern power armour is seen as a mark of a veteran Astartes warrior in the Imperium but for those who have lived through the Crusade, it is simply a mark of the Long War.

"Thodor. Is Xythos ready? We have much work to do.. and there is still much more to be done." A simple mark of a skull on the power armour of Thodor marked him as a witch, one of those gifted with the powers of a psyker. A hood had been attached to the armour as an add-on, repainted and integrated into the sorcerers armour. Was it a Novamarine Librarian that Thodor had taken it off of? Or perhaps it could have even been one of the witches that had sworn allegiance to the Tyrant of Badab. It mattered little to Kyreg. Lately, he found he cared little for the details of their victories, instead in his spare time remembering the times of the Crusade.

Thodor nodded. Behind him stood another legionnaire dressed in the same dusk blue armour with an addition of a small black cross on his gorget, the mark of an Apothecary. Kyreg remembered Mytis from the days of the 8th, where they had brought compliance through shrouded blades and poisoned supplies of the enemy. Ulyr was the last member, formerly of the 11th but had been amalgamated into the Xythos after Istavaan. Kyreg rested a hand on the hilt of the blade at his hip. The phase sword was an item he had gone to great length to capture from a dark elder ship. Where they had gotten it from.. the two still alive Callidus assassins who had their skin flayed off had provided the answer for that. The technology behind it was ill understood but the ability to cut through the hull of a land raider made the weapon useful, especially to someone of Kyregs nature.

"And what of Gungnir?" He asked the three who looked at him with a slight casual shrug borne of those used to constant war. The answer came from behind him in the form of the Centurion. "Gungnir readies itself still. I believe that my adjustment to the armoury forge aboard our vessel has meant more adjustments to compensate for the modified bolter rounds." Maygis had turned his head towards the legionnaire commander. Although technically of the same rank as Kyreg, Maygis was a legionnaire trained in the ways of Mars so he had little concern of command, only that as the senior artificer on board it was his right to captain the actual strike cruiser. Kyreg nodded his head at the techmarine and smiled a little. "Rythor sometimes reminds me more of a techpriest than even you Maygis." The Centurion only chuckled deeply in response. Rythor was the Sergeant of the Gungnir, a legion reconnaissance squad that had barely made it out of Istavaan alongside Xythos. He was a legionnaire of immense precision, the difference of a single gnat length in between different bolter shots landing was enough to send him into great displeasure, whether it was his own mistake or one of Gungnir other legionnaires.

"Centurion. Our cloaking is on full and the vessel is properly hidden from the augurs of the planet?" Kyreg asked as he looked through the viewscreen of the strike cruiser. Maygis examined the display infront of him and nodded in affirmation. "Well, the PDF on the planet hardly possess the skill or the technology to detect us even uncloaked." Kyreg laughed in response to the arrogant reply of the artificer. "I'm not worried about the PDF. I'm asking if they can detect us." Kyregs eyes were pointedly glancing at the ship on the other side of the planet. The warship he was looking at was over 12 km long, a monster of a ship that had defaced Imperial symbols on the outside now sporting various markings in blood of its various allegiances. Well, blood seemed the most likely but knowing its occupants, it could be any form of body fluid which marked and desecrated the ship. It was the ship known as the 'Angelic Purity', a battle barge that had been built by Mars and gifted to the occupants when they were still part of the IX Legion.

"Traitors once again approaches a planet of the Emperor, and none of the High Lords lapdogs seem to be able to stop a single warband." The comment came from a legionnaire that just a second ago, was not there. No one on the bridge, mortal or legionnaire had detected his entrance. "Rythor, nice of you to join us in between trying to defy the laws of physics." Maygis made the comment rather dryly, Ulyr turning his head and coughing politely to mask the slight chuckle which threatened the rather seriousness of the legionnaire sergeants comment.

"Centurion. Commander." The bald sergeant nodded slightly and gave a rather melancholic smile that didn't reach his eyes at the techmarines comment. "Typical of Guilliman, split the legions and make chapters. Now the Imperium is defended by whelps cast off from their mother legions still with their milk teeth." The words the sergeant said were laced with venom in his voice. He held a long grudge against those of the XIII legion, he was one of the terran born legionnaires recruited for his legion and had heard the insults of the XIII against his first hand. "And every one of Guillimans children sing his name in praise for his insult to the legions." Replied Thodor who had taken a few steps to stand next to Kyreg.

Maygis was the one to break the insults against the XIII, Kyreg raising his eyebrows slightly at the unusual choler coming to the fore of the normally reserved psyker. "I don't believe anything that Mars produces can detect us. I find it fascinating still that they reject the samples seized from the Tau Empire when there is so many innovations which benefit us, and can benefit the Imperium." Kyreg ignored the last part. Maygis was very, very unconventional. In fact, the techmarine seized xenos tech any chance he got. Every suit of power armour had some form of xeno modification and additions done to it, and the strike cruiser itself had some rather advanced xenos cloaking technology in it that was a great advantage to its occupants. "Be ready then. Rythor, ensure the Gungnir are ready to deploy. Maygis, have your artificers prepare the vehicles for war then." Last but not least, he turned to the only mortal that dared to stand so close to the right of him. "Colonel. Prepare Gamma 6-7. Your orders will come soon." Colonel Curtix Aibel bowed at Kyregs words. "Yes my lord. And when you are ready, the most recent reports from the assets have just been decoded."

Kyreg nodded his thanks at the mortal and departed, knowing that the report will be sent to his quarters. "And make sure Centurion that ammunition is sufficient to supply everything.. we just might need it this time." He would say as he departed the bridge, the only sign of acknowledgement from the armoured Centurion was a simple blip of the vox. Kyreg entered his quarters, the only ones in the hallways were Servitors doing the menial tasks of cleaning a strike cruiser clean and serviceable. With a soft sight, he unclipped his helmet and locked it against his power armour as he picked up his dataslate and glanced through the report. The governor of the planet was a woman named Adriana Hyberg, some offshoot of ancient Terran nobility no doubt but the interesting part was the fact that on the planet according to the report compiled by the human agent, accidents had befallen various Ecclesiarch buildings and churches, as well as the main Arbites building had an unfortunate accident earlier this week. Yes, a truck filled with explosives had accidentally crashed into the building and exploded. He was no fan of the emperor worshipping ilk nor was he a believer in the ability of the Imperial Arbites. But a planet with these many issues against symbols of Imperial power was not a good thing, especially when a chaos warband was approaching the planet. Putting down the data slate, he picked up the stalker combi-bolter locked to his armour and glanced over it, checking the action carefully before loading a 30 round magazine. He could feel it in his augmented body, it was going to be a rather bad operation but what choice did he truly have. The armoured legionnaire sat down on the seat beside the bed and closed his eyes. Xythos and Gungnir will both be readying for war. Yingr will have a briefing for him too before they deploy. He sighed a little and shut his brain off.

In moments, he opened his eyes and knew that he was asleep already and dreaming. He looked down at the bolter in his hands and across at Helix Squad all crouched behind the ditch. This was it. He gave a single hand gesture and the last legionnaire in line active the melta breacher and placed it against the wall of the structure that the ditch was behind. In a few moments, the melta bomb exploded inwards, opening a large hole in the wall. Around the fortress walls, the sound of plasma and bolter fire could be heard. The sound of armoured treads and large calibre artillery guns could be heard exchanging shots and maneuvering. As soon as the wall was breached, he led Helix Squad through, his bolter barking at the humans who were facing the wrong way behind sandbagged autocannon emplacements. His squad all rushed in behind him in precise synchronised movements, their bolters also barking in bursts that cut through the green armoured humans who desperate tried to turn around in time only to be turned into pulp by the explosive bolter rounds.

"Up the stairs. Our objective lays on the third floor." His squad all voxed in affirmatives after breaking through the poorly set up defensive line. It led to the main foyer and through the windows of the mansion, he could see battle still ongoing. He could spot the dark grey of the IV and of course the blue of the XIII, each picking a defensive line to breakthrough. However, it was not going to be the IV or the XIII which ended the war, it was going to be Helix. Kyreg and Helix squad charged up the stairs, solid auto rounds whizzing past him. He charged pauldron first into a soldier with a bayonet on his rifle, reaching out and shattering the rifle with his armoured fist before breaking the man's skull by jabbing his bolter into his head. His squad all opened fire as they moved up the stairs fluidly, most ignoring the resistance there but instead firing at those who fired at them. Those that ran for it, they didn't bother with. The third floor however, was much more defended. Autocannons on tripods opened fire on them the minute they emerged only to stop with loud clicks as the belts jammed the mechanisms. This is what happened when the proper steel belt for autocannons were replaced with lacquered plastic, a melted mess of plastic jamming and gunking up the firing mechanisms. Kyreg smiled a little at the sound, it seems that Cerberus had fulfilled its objectives. However, the first few rounds they were able to fire had killed Norit and Ersev, the two legionnaires behind him but it mattered little, they would be mourned later on. The last legionnaire fired a punishing fusillade from the heavy bolter he carried which cut through the gold-laced uniforms of the Autocrats personal guard as the rest of Helix charged towards the main door. A kick splintered the double doors locks and two stun grenades were tossed in. With a blinding flash, they both detonated and Helix squad followed right after. In the room was the man and his closest advisors, sitting at a large planning table. In a flash, his squad opened fire, cutting down any armed guards in the room. As the blinding whiteness left the eyes of the regally suited Autocrat and his generals, they found themselves being shoved up against the wall.

With a single hand gesture, one legionnaire set up a pict capturer on video recording. Without a word, the execution of the planets rulers were captured digitally and in seconds, the recording was sent to their agents. Five minutes later, the firing outside had stopped as every command center of the enemy had their displays overrode and the execution was played out over and over again. Ten minutes later, the firing outside had stopped. Kyreg without a word, gestured for his squad to follow him as he placed a single beacon on the third floor and then made his way to a window where he was able to make his way out and climb down the side of the structure. After the last legionnaire made it down, they moved through to the ditch again and wrapped their cameoline cloak around themselves, making their way past the various soldiers who seemed to be in shock as news of the assassination made it through the ranks like wildfire. Most just seemed to give up and walk off, finding a way to survive the armoured superhuman troops that were not just walking through the main defensive lines collecting prisoners but also those that seemed to have sneaked through an entire defensive line and assassinated their leader.

Kyreg led Helix squad to the battle lines where the IV and XIII legionnaires advancing through the mostly abandoned defensive earthworks, the Imperial Army soldiers assigned to their expedition fleets gathering the prisoners past. He would reveal himself to them and smirked inside his helmet at the dour looks he received from the IV and the slight sneer on the face of the XIII Captain who advanced towards him. "Was this your doing?" The Captain asked him while looking around at the surrendered garrison. Kyreg nodded only once before giving a sign to his squad, and they began to move out. The IV Warsmith at least gave a nod of respect to Kyreg and his legionnaires for carrying out the assault but the XIII Captain would put a hand out and stop Kyreg from going any further. "You need to give me your report, legionnaire." Kyreg looked at the armoured hand infront of him and turned to the Ultramarine officer. "I do not answer to you Ultramarine. Your entire battalion could not do what a single squad of mine was able to do. Now move your hand before you become a casualty." The blue armoured officer hissed at the insult and placed a hand on his sheathed blade hilt. Kyreg turned his head to look at the Stormbird gunship that was just landing in an empty space near them, the gunship in the liveries of his legion. "You can draw your blade if you feel your honour insulted Ultramarine. But a blade is no match for duel linked heavy bolters or hunter killer missiles." Kyreg shoved the Captains hand aside and his squad would stride into the open hold of the Stormbird, the Ultramarine staring at him with anger in his eyes. Kyreg allowed himself a small smile and opened his eyes to see the inside of his quarters again. He would check the chronos and see that only two standard hours had passed by. That was enough rest for him.

A few moments later, Xythos and Gungnir were assembled on the flight deck of the strike cruiser, each squad performing final weapons and equipment check. As befit their status of over 10 thousand years of operations with a few thousand years of Suspended Animation, their equipment were a mixture of conventional weapons as well as rare combi-stalker bolters first used by Legionnaire Reconnaissance Squads as well as Legionnaire Stealth Squads during the great crusade. "Extra breaching charges as well as explosives." Kyreg ordered, the dusk blue armoured legionnaires nodding their agreement as more grenades and explosive charges were taken from a large crate of ammunition. With them stood Taleon, a former Legion Support Squad led by Sergeant Lefias, who's other four legionnaires stood there. With power spears and combat shields locked onto their backs while in their hands were held an assortment of various heavy weapons, they were as close to a heavy powerful weapons squad as could be found aboard the Kilo Zeta.

"Ensure you have your Cainite magazines as well as your specialist magazines separated and ready." Kyreg would order out as he checked his own magazines. There were multiple magazines with a slightly different symbol on them. Cainite rounds were a modification of the infamous Banestrike bolter rounds used by traitor legions on Istavaan. A tiny metal charge was placed at the forefront ready to silently melt most forms of armour that can be carried by a human, modified or not. Behind it however instead of a solid core, a heavy tungsten rod was surrounded by mutagenic acid, the melta charge meant to melt through the armour while the tungsten round forced the rest of the shell inwards and the acid did the actual damage. It was technology taken from the dark elder and modified by Centurion Maygis, the chief techmarine of the strike cruiser. Bolt pistols with suppressors screwed onto the ends were checked, suppressors around the stalker bolters were tightened and final preparations would be complete. With a glance around, Kyreg gave a gesture and the two squads each loaded onto their own separate Stormeagles, each taken from a different Astartes Chapter and repainted with their machine spirits appeased to accept the xeno modifications of the strike cruisers occupants. The legionnaires who were the pilots of the crafts had long complete the pre-flight check list. Servitors were slaved to the gunships gunnery and communication controls. With a quiet hiss, the modified engines lifted the two crafts up and they entered the void of space.

 ** _Nineteen days earlier_**

Every legionnaire on board had gathered in the war room of the Kilo Zeta and looked at the star map surrounding Tythen V. There were a few small space stations around it, the Planetary Defence Fleet of aging laser cannons and the like that were thinly manned by barely trained conscripts. The small brown planet had a rather warm temperature comparatively speaking, but it had quite a bit of underground water reservoirs. It had a rather dusty external shell while the underground hives were quite moist, moisture somehow being protected by the arid surface of the planet.

"This is our objective. More precisely, it seems that miners in this region have dug up a relic of the crusade era. A legionnaire base meant for recruitment as well as re-supply. The bolter shells might still be functional; any chemical explosives in heavy munitions are probably long useless. The treasure at the end of the day will be the command terminal. The command terminal is linked up to the vault itself, and inside the vault contains a treasure that is worth every drop of blood onboard this vessel." Sergeant Yingr, the intelligence officer was a rarely seen figure amongst the strike cruiser itself. More often than not, the legionnaire was in his own office plotting operations, recruiting assets and dealing with the Cerberus assets, the human intelligence operatives that he used to gather information and put together strike packages with. "The command terminal itself contains a series of information onto hidden legion assets across the galaxy itself. The password is our genes which will grant us access. The vault itself contains a secure source of gene seeds that can be used to replenish our ranks, but also the a copy of the data that was gifted to the XIX legion by the Anathema himself in order for the Ravens to replenish their ranks after Istavaan. These are valuable treasures my brothers.. and we must reclaim them in the name of the legion." With that, he stood aside. It was pointless to ask how he had managed to find out such information, Cerberus assets were mighty and many, and Sergeant Yingr was truly gifted in the hidden war.

"That is our most important objective. There is more than that however.." This is where Kyreg stepped in, a hand reaching up to remove his helmet and set on the planning table itself. "Our assets have detected that an astartes warship is also approaching the system. For what, we do not know. What we do know is that this is a warship of chaos aligned marines.. the Flawless Host." The legionnaires gathered around the table hissed as one. Out of all the ruinous powers, those who worshipped Slaanesh was often the worst that could be found in the galaxy. It was not due to the way their god demanded worship, instead it was that any planet with Slaaneshi influences would have corruption that went deep into the planets core. The solution could not often be solved by combat operations alone as there were too many hidden sects and underground cultists who had been corrupted by the promise of their hearts desires.

"It seems that they are heading to the planet for reasons that are entirely unknown to us at this point, and we must gather more information. We cannot utilise Cerberus assets in this operation except for perhaps the Gamma 6-7 strike teams. The chances of infiltrators becoming corrupted by the proximity to this is too much. We already have assets in place conducting passive monitoring of the planets communication and security organizations, but so far no one has dug to find any one distinct source that might be waiting in the wings. So our objective is to recover the legion assets, but we also must find a way to scuttle their warship. If need be, we can conduct a Theta cleansing of the planet itself." Kyreg looked at each legionnaire around the table so that they understood the seriousness of the chaos threat. A Theta cleansing was a false flag operation to provoke the Imperium into exterminates of a planet, it was easily done as long as the right message went to the right source inside the Inquisition. "The capital of the planet seems to be Lorhenge, an underground massive hive city just a bit north of the equatorial lines. Legionnaire assets are in Station 88305 which will be 15 kilometers south of the capital city. Its conditions, we are unable to ascertain but that will be our first objective. We will land near the jungle just south of it so we can bypass the capitals air defence scanners and infiltrate through the jungle. This is all underground underneath the dust shell of the planet surface, so I believe that the best route is to deploy through Stormbird and land on the surface. Once on the surface, we will need to enter through one of the tunnels into the actual hives of the planet itself. Once we can secure legionnaire assets, then we will liase with Cerberus assets and we will find out just how far this corruption goes." He looked around again at the legionnaires, all of whom were at veteran legionnaires and had no questions. That was the simple enough part, however they lacked the intelligence to truly see what their potential enemy had planned. Chaos warbands made for extremely good distractions during operations. "If there are no questions, then Gungnir, Taleon, and Xythos, remain behind. I will issue squad objectives." The other legionnaires departed the war room to prepare their own specialty craft in support of the mission. Weapons needed to be checked and readied, specialist equipment needed to be readied as well as intelligence assets needed to be activated.

 ** _Present_**

The stormbirds made their way through the atmosphere, Kyreg checking over his own equipment and weapons again. Each marine was clamped into their seats as they watched the descent, the shielding of the stormbirds heating up as they descended through the atmosphere of Tythen V, the viewports revealing the stark tundra and desert mixture of the surface itself. "We are approaching landing zone. Stealth field is still at maximum, we will descend through the cloud cover in 10." The pilot spoke, the servitors scanning the horizon for threats. The tau ion cannons that had been attached to the Imperial pattern gunship scanned around as well, slaved to the targeting system of the pilot. As the gunship descended towards the surface, Kyreg shook his head a little bit. With his age now, he was becoming nostalgic in the wrong moments at time. The primarch had always pointed it to him with humour but now was not the moment. Not during such a delicate part of the operation. "Gungnir will sweep forward after landing. Xythis will follow in support." The Legion encouraged initiative, and the two squads were some of the most adaptive ones that the Legion had ever forged. Kyreg chambered a round in his stalker-bolter and checked the underslung melta gun, ensuring that a charge canister was loaded as well. The rest of his squad did the same while Gungnir checked their bolters but also their sniper rifles, feeding magazines delicately into the receiver and then chambering a round. Suppressors were given a quick tighten. With a soft thud, the ramp lowered, remaining about four feet off the ground as the squads disembarked. Moving quickly to establish a perimeter, the 8 Legionnaires all checked their targeting systems. So far, no threat. Without a sound, Gungnir disappeared as the adaptive camouflage was activated. A second later, Kyreg and his legionnaires did the same.

The dust was causing little issues to the legionnaires, except perhaps if they were Nightlords or Ravenguard, they might have found themselves grounded as the windy sands did not allow for jump packs. After an hour north east an opening to one of the tunnels was found with four guards standing around it wearing the sand coloured uniforms of the Tythen PDF. Las rifles strapped around their flak vests, they were arguing with a small group of merchants, two large trucks obviously loaded with trade goods from another hive stopped behind them. The leader of the merchants, a portly man with a taste for silver jewellery was gesturing at a piece of paper in his hands, and pointing to the open cab where it seemed a woman of some importance in the clothing of nobility was staring at the guards with open distaste the way high born nobles often looked at wait staff that was too slow in fetching their 7th drink of the evening. Although the legionnaires were hidden, their IFFs still formed an outline around each individual one. Kyreg could see one of the Gungnir legionnaires Denlow raise his sniper rifle. The other sniper Brachus did the same; the team spread about 30 meters apart. With a slight gesture, Kyreg led Xythis closer towards the back of the trucks silently, their large size moving surprisingly stealthy but that was the way of the Legion.

Commbeads were in each of the traders ears, and Kyreg scanned for their frequency before saying a single phrase over the traders vox: "The Emperors sun will no longer rise." As one, each of the traders replied back: "Without the serpents of His darkest nights." The guards looked confused at these words but the traders all stood back from the guards while the noblewoman exited the truck cabin and raised both her hands, needle pistols appearing in them as all four guards were taken out with precise shots to the soft part of their throats, the toxic needles puncturing through the soft skin through to their spines and dropping them onto the ground. Faster than an eye can blink, both weapons were hidden once again and the woman dropped to one knee along with the traders there, their heads down. Kyreg smiled as he revealed himself. "Well done as always Galya." He would say to the noble woman who smiled slightly at her lords compliment. "We are ready Lord." The woman would answer as a reply. Nodding slightly, Kyreg gestured for his team to enter the back of the trucks, their active camouflage back on as the trailer doors were closed, bathing the interior in darkness. Outside the truck, the bodies would be disposed of as a third truck made its way to the tunnel entrance, a disposal crew fulfilling their end of their obligations. The sound of the airbrakes being released preceded the loud sound of the diesel engine as the two trucks made their way down into the underhive.

The two trucks drove through the dimly lit tunnels, making their way through to Lorhenge with its deadly cargo. A few hours later, the trucks would stop and after a few moments of pause Kyreg saw the trailer doors being opened in the rear. The traders and the assassin were there, kneeled once again. The legionnaires would exit and look at their place of arrival. He smiled within his helmet as he saw what looked just like a side of a mountain before turning to face the mortals kneeling. "Well done. Now, disperse. You all know your objectives." The humans nodded and went back into the trucks, driving off while the legionnaires advanced towards the mountain side. He looked towards Ulyr who manually would input a vox frequency and then clicked it eight times. Somewhere inside the mountain, ancient mechanics began to move and door opened upwards. Swiftly, the legionnaires made for the inside of the mountain and away from prying eyes. After a moment, the door would close again. Inside was a dark hallway with barely any lights. Kyreg held up a hand before taking off a gauntlet, walking towards a dais with no markings on it at all. At the eye in the middle of the console, he would lightly jab his fingertip with a small needle from his power armour and placed the bleeding fingertip onto the eye. Ancient machines were brought to life as his DNA was scanned and monitored. "You are welcome to the Den of Tythen V Commander." An automated voice would speak to the collective legionnaires. The lights came on, and at the end of the hallway were a series of automated guns that had been pointed at them the entire time. "By my authority, establish IFF with legionnaires assembled here." Kyreg ordered as he led the other marines deeper into the base, walking past the automated sentry guns to encounter a massive space behind them with rows upon rows of genelocked crates and a massive command console. "IFF scan complete." Kyreg would power up the command console and remove his helmet as he placed his face infront of a scanner. The iris scanner lit up and scanned his eye once again, and this time the automated sentry guns on the ceiling stopped tracking the collective group of marines. He would quickly type in an addition and added in the names of his last group, Taleon squad into the IFF system. The green light on the side of the command console blinked once in acknowledgement. He nodded this time at Rythor who walked to a large open section and placed a teleport homer onto the ground, activating it quickly before stepping back. A few moments later with a bright flash, Sergeant Lefias appeared with his Taleon marines.

"Excellent Commander, your timeliness always had the primarchs favour." The Sergeant said with a large grin as he looked around, his combi-bolter ever in his hand with a drum magazine loaded in. "Alright Taleon, we've stood around enough on the Kilo Zeta, now it's time to stand around a cave." The Sergeant would call out to the amusement of the other marines. As the Taleon legionnaires separated and began setting up defensive positions towards the only entrance and exit of the place, one of the legionnaires carrying a plasma cannon would step away from the group towards Kyreg. "Commander, this is truly.. this is truly a treasure beyond my wildest dreams." The legionnaires servo-harness almost twitching a little in a reflection of its wearers excitement. "Yes it is Mordin, and I hope you will be able to unlock its secrets." Kyreg replied. The techmarine nodded as he undid his helmet and looked at the massive command console in awe and went to work. "This shall be our base for now. Taleon squad, you will be here to ensure it is secure. Unless.. we need your firepower." Kyreg grinned rather mirthless at his last words. Lefias snorted slightly as he undid his helmet as well. "Commander, heavy firepower is always needed. But I assume that as one of the Primarchs favoured, you will do your best to ensure we do not waste precious bolter ammunition." The other Taleon marines chuckled even as they moved the sentry guns to set up better fields of fire and the like. The techmarine Mordin quickly went to work, a small mechanical wire snaking from his servo-harness into a port at the side of the command consoles keyboard. "Commander, I have accessed the inventory listings. It seems this was first established by the 14th during their expeditionary here. The original occupants of this place was a group of humans ruled over by xenos. It was first encountered by the XV legion, but their psyker powers was a weakness when they encountered the xenos… the ruling class of the xenos all seemed to have been psychic nulls." At the last part, Kyreg looked over at Ulyr for a second. "I'm no xenos brother Commander.. " The legionnaire would reply in amusement as his hands idly flicked the safety on and off on the stalker-bolter clamped to his chest. "No, but it seems you have something in common." The legionnaire muttered and shrugged casually as Mordin coughed again politely, giving the Commander and his legionnaire both pointed looks before going back to the screen. The artificer was known to be short on patience when it came to his briefings.

"The XV Legion suffered casualties but the 14th happened to be in the zone and assisted. The 14th put every xenos on the planet to the sword and after the battle, the XV took a large group of potential aspirants as did the 14th. Before they left however, the 14th established this hidden base and kept it well stocked. The last to be in here before you was at M31. The only items taken were ammunition and that was it." The techmarine finished before typing in a few more lines of code and changing the screen to display a list.

"The great scouring then. That was the last time any of our legion had been here." Kyreg muttered almost to himself. The great scouring was a trying time for those under his command. The warship itself was forcefully hijacked by Kyreg and his company of loyalist legionnaires from a group of XIX legionnaires who had fired upon him, refusing to believe that they were loyal to the Emperor. In those days, Kyreg had the foresight to go to each planet that was still loyalist and had large quantities of aspirants taken, usually forcefully, onto their ship. Now, the Shrouded had spread and remained under the radar of the Imperium thankfully with their strength slowly being rebuilt. He wished to reform the 8th, his men all knew that as they too wanted it. Unfortunately now the Imperium has been changed much, the Imperial Truth forgotten and the worship of the Emperor based on a book that Lorgar himself had written. It was a travesty, an irony that was the basis of Imperial rule. "Very well. Apothecary, check the vault for the geneseeds. If they are still there, I want them teleported back onto the strike cruiser for safe keeping. Check them, carefully." Mytis nodded and accompanied by Thodor, he entered the vault itself. The vault door was almost 5 feet thick made of ceramite and admanatium made to resist even a direct shot from a volcano cannon. Inside the vault, there were rows upon rows of various armaments along with ammunition in large crates. The gene storage section had a sealed off door with a decontamination chamber. Mytis entered first, the chamber activating and unleashing a sleuth of disinfection liquid at high pressure followed up by a UV drying. A few moments later as he entered the actual gene vault, Thodor was given the same treatment. The apothecary examined the room and saw that it was still powered in no small thanks to the massive quantities of geothermal energy underneath the planet. Geneseed was rare for his legion now, the usual source coming from fallen brothers on the battlefield but the geneseed here stored in hardened plasteel tubes was plentiful. Yet caution had to be exercised. Thodor stepped forth and summoned his talents as each geneseed tube was carefully scanned for warp taint. Finding none, he stepped back and soon Mytis had begun to test each tube using the console inside the vault itself.

Kyreg placed his helmet on a table and set down a map slate, looking over the various sections now, and where they were. At this rate, their assets should be soon back in the city of Lorhenge itself to carry out their next part. Techmarine Mordin approached him with an interesting look on his face, the artificer having long taken off the armoured helm in order to "connect with a spiritual level with the console." Kyreg was half tempted to tell him that the legionnaires sexual organs had long been disabled but thought better of it. "Commander, there is an.. interesting defence mechanism in place. Do you remember when I said that the xeno rulers here were mostly psychic nulls?" Kyreg nodded, wondering where he was going with this. "Well it seems that the 14th had taken some of the xenos technology and built it into the defensive measures of this place. A psychic null ring has been set up around this place to prevent detection. But in order to allow the 14th own psykers to use this place, it was set up in a ring instead of filling up every nook and cranny. It effectively would block this place off to psyker intrusions.. right now it's deactivated.." Kyreg nodded at the last part and chuckled. He would vox a simple "Ready yourself" to Thodor before gesturing for the techmarine to activate it. In what could only be superhuman joy, the artificer sped off to the console and typed in a few buttons. A few seconds later, a strange feeling settled over the inside of the base while in the gene vault, Thodor had gasped and fallen to his knees for a second, the apothecary merely glancing at him and drawing his bolt pistol to aim at the psyker marines head. "Do you require assistance brother, or do I?" Thodor waved his hand a few times towards the apothecary before standing up. "Bastard.. a null shield was just activated and overwhelmed my senses for a moment." He would look up to see the bolt pistol aimed at him and sighed slightly. "I don't believe I need the Emperors peace just yet Apothecary." Mytis nodded and clamped it to his thigh again before going back to the gene seeds. "A warning would have been nice Commander." The psyker hissed over the vox only to hear the slight chuckles of the other legionnaires who seemed to have been in on it. 10 thousand years couldn't change the reaction the Commander had to the Verdict of Nikea. Pranking psykers, really Commander. What would the primarch think of one of his favoured commander now still behaving like a new initiate. Regardless, Thobos still had a smile underneath his helmet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Shadow of a Doubt**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Above orbit**

The Angelic Purity was a strike cruiser gifted to the sons of Sanguinis when the angelic primarch and his sons still strode the sky in legion size. Back when the long night was finally broken and the Emperor was reunited with his own. The march towards the stars was led by the shock troops of the Angel when he was reunited with his legion with many victories and compliances carried out by one of the most respected and well known legions that fought under the Aquila. The heresy had changed all that, and not all of his sons had shown fealty when it mattered the most. When brothers and cousins slew each other, Captain Viprus and his legionnaires of the IX legions 88th Great Company were guests of the III legion and had embraced the youngest god with open arms. After all, Captain Viprus had always felt the slight made upon him when on the assault of the world Murder, he had only been reinforcement after his primarch had already conducted the assault with the Wolves. That day he had begged his father to allow him to join him. He could still remember that day.

"Father.. please I beg you. Let me avenge my brothers, let me avenge Khitas death." The red clad astartes Captain was on a knee, his head down as he pleaded with his genefather. The golden figure sat at his throne and sighed softly before reaching down and lightly placing a hand on the shoulder pauldron of Viprus. "My loyal Captain, I'm afraid that in this case my vengeance must preceed yours. The first assault must be led by me my son, honour demands it." The Great Angel looked at his son with sorrow in his eyes. "Khitas death at the hands of these xenos, my spirits tremble with rage and I must have first blood." A few tears would stain the rich red carpet that Captain Viprus kneeled on. "Father, please. If you must strip me of rank and let me serve even as a legionnaire, I beg you please do so. Khitas and I.. we ascended the ranks together. We competed together. We lived, breathed, bled together. Please do not deny me this my Lord." Sanguinius could only sigh softly and stood up to look over at a hand carved Aquila gifted to him by a human civilian on a world the Blood Angels had rescued from xenos once upon a time. "Please Viprus.. do not forget you are the Captain of the 88th Great Company. You must be the mobile reserve, my Reavers of Death. However I understand and feel your pain, so I will give you this. I will place you with the assault forth of the III for they too are in orbit awaiting the order to drop."

Viprus stood up and saluted his primach with tears in his eyes but a loud audible clasp of his armoured first to his breastplate. "I will not forget this Father, thank you. I.. I apologize. I will show better conduct befitting of one of your Captains in the future." The Great Angel simply smiled at him. "No need Captain, this moment makes me proud that you are one of my trusted Captains. Your humanity.. it is what we fight for after all. It is something which must be cherished even in the night before war. Ready your company my Captain, I will instruct the III to expect you." With a bowed head, Viprus left the Great Angels chambers aboard the flag ship. As he walked past the golden Sanguinis Guards in the hallway, he voxed his Sergeants. "Vengeance shall be soon my brothers. Ready the 88th, we make for the III's battle barge." A series of enthusiastic affirmatives answered his words. He would make his way to his chamber and examined its contents with a small smile. Making his way over to one of the chests in his bedroom, he would open it and draw from it a beautifully crafted blade with a curved weighted end to provide for more powerful slashes. It had belonged to Captain Khitas, before he had been murdered by Murder. He caressed the side of the blade slightly before undoing the sheath for his chainsword at his side and sheathed the powersword instead. This vengeance will be personal.

 ** _8 Hours Later_**

"No, it.. it can't be." Viprus stared at the tactical screen for the 19th time to ensure his eyes were not playing tricks with him. The Emperors Children battle barge had been ordered to hold position and make ready to enter the warp, the Lunar Wolves as well as the Blood Angels had already attacked but were now withdrawing, the bodies of the fallen Blood Angels never to be retrieved. His teeth clenched as his fists squeezed tightly. No, it cannot be. The assault he had been waiting for never came. Instead the fleets were being called away, the demands of the Great Crusade they said. More important objectives that needed to be dealt with.

The next few days were filled with melancholy and betrayal, Viprus barely leaving his quarters aboard the III Legions battle barge, instead pacing around his chambers. He had been sustained by only bottles of the rich alcohols the Emperors Children had brewed and kept on board, barely sleeping. He had sent a message to his genefather requesting permission to stay aboard the III Legion as he felt he had much to learn from them. The permission was granted with more than a bit of distraction it seemed. Of course, his genefather was distracted by his First Captain and the much higher honours he had accumulated over the years than him, a lowly Battle Captain of only the 88th company. It seems the mood was shared amongst his men, each Marine observing their battle rites half heartedly and only as few as necessary as they retreated to their quarters in sorrow. That was when Viprus was introduced to the warrior lodges. There he found that he was treated simply as another legionnaire and soon he encouraged his company members all to join. Only a few did not, citing their moods too melancholic but Viprus let that go. It was expected after all, not every legionnaire had wished to stay on board with the III. As a gesture of brotherhood, he had sworn a blood oath with a III Legion Sergeant, Persedeus who welcomed him in and sponsored him as part of the brotherhood. That night, that's when he heard the voices.

 _You never meant anything to him, you are just another Captain. You will always stand in the shadows of Khitas. After all did he not make Captain first even though the two of you both rose to Sergeant together in the same company? No, Khitas was made Captain first. They gave him your company, it should have been yours. You? You were only given Captaincy of the 88th. Just a meager company made up of almost raw initiates. But what did you do? You perfected it. The 88th Great Company, vicious in the assault and perfect in the defence. It was you who ensured this and Sanguinius does not care. You are below his eyesight after all, no.. the favoured one was always Khitas. If Khitas truly considered you his friend, why did he not ask Sanguinius to grant you Captaincy of the 25th Company that journeyed with him? No instead it was given to another one of Sanguinius favoured, a newly promoted Captain from the 1st Company._ Viprus closed his eyes and shook his head. _No, the Great Angel would never do that to him. The Great Angel shed tears of joy at his promotion.. but tears were just an act. The Great Angel shed tears even when insignificant mortals gave him trinkets. No. He sidelined you, he denied you even your vengeance. That is because The Great Angel knows that you should be First Captain but denies you what is rightfully yours. No, you know this to be true. You see this. He had no problems letting you wander off with the III. He has forgotten your name. He doesn't see the 88th for the glory and perfection that you deserve._ Viprus felt the presence of another softly caress his mind gently. _Come now Blood Angel. Don't you deserve real power. Real authority. A Legion Astartes Captain of your might and strength deserves much.. much more. Swear your allegiance to me Captain, I will not neglect you._ The voice was both male and female and soothed the anger in his mind. He would sigh softly as he knew this was the right path. After all, Sanguinius did not care for him, but the voice did. _Yes of course I care about you Captain, I am Slaanesh and I am the youngest god. But more than that, I require champions. Loyal, strong and powerful champions. I can give you power. However much you want as long as you take care of me as well._

That night, Viprus swore his soul to Slaanesh as did most of his men. When he awoke in the morning, Persedeus took note of the change within him and embraced him now as a true brother and advised him. "Viprus, far be it for a lowly Sergeant to give advice to a Grand Captain such as yourself.. but not all of your legionnaires see this. You know what must be done, they must be made to see the truth, and if they cannot then…" The Emperors Children legionnaire sighed softly as he trailed off. Viprus nodded. "That is sound advise brother.. unfortunate but sound."

Viprus ordered his company together and ensured that his personal retinue, the assault squad Tiberius was with him. Armed with power axes and assault shields, they accompanied him as he addressed the company. "Those of you in the lodges, I ask of you. Have you heard the truth?" A series of loud roars cheered his words on. "I too have heard the truth. The truth is, we are more than what we should be. We should strive to always be more, we are of the 88th. No, we are the Angels Evermore. We have been sidelined. We can do what three companies put together can. We have been forgotten." As more voices cheered his words, he put up a hand for silence. "We are no longer of the 88th. No longer of the IX. We are the Angels Evermore. I declare us no longer tools of the False Emperor. From now on we shall make our own fate!" More cheers welcomed his words, but a small group of Marines separated from the company and drew their bolters. "Captain, that.. that is treason. We are Blood Angels, sired of the Great Angel. We are loyal to the Emperor!" Their leader, a sergeant called out. "We will report this Captain, please, withdraw your words. Take them back, I do not wish for our father to hear of this!" Viprus could only laugh as he made a simple gesture. Power axes flashed as Tiberius squad cut them apart with perfect strikes that lacerated both their hearts. With glee, Viprus removed the helmet from the now dead Sergeant and bit into his neck, drinking of the rich astartes blood. His men cheered him on as if by instinct each knowing somehow that the drinking of astartes blood empowered him even more. With a roar as he drained the loyalist, he felt the ecstasy that was due to him as he licked his lips. "Imbibe brothers.. I have brought you refreshments have I not?" With a joyous laugh, he gestured towards the dead loyalists and his Angels Evermore all began to take turns drinking from their dead brothers. "For the youngest god! We shall bring glory to the Exquisite Prince!" His brothers cheered him on as he closed his eyes, his senses finally open as he took in the rich copper tang of Astartes blood and the adoration of his legionnaires.

Consul Viprus laid back on his chaise lounge and sighed softly with pleasure. The planet approaches, but there was no overt eagerness to make planetfall. Not when he was being thus entertained. A trio of daemonettes danced for him as the last shipment of slaves were skillfully tortured to death bit by bit by the razor sharp claws of the Slaaneshi daemons. "Slower my loves.. you rush too much." He would say to them, and they seemed to understand. One man had cuts thinner than a paper cut but deliciously spread all over his body as he could only whimper in the pain of thousands of cuts. Viprus picked up an exquisitely crafted wine glass in his hand, the crystal having been formed slowly from a sorcerous melting of Eldar soulstones before being cut slowly with a slaaneshi blade. Inside was a rich purple liquid, distilled from the pulped remains of a rather arrogant dark elder cabal. It was luxurious, each drop of the unholy liquor containing entire planets worth of suffering. Of course he deserved nothing but the best. The golden trimmed white armour that he now wore was testament to that. A gift from the III Legion, a suit of armour made even more wonderful by the addition of various narcotics and combat drugs that gave him utterly alien sensations at his command which brought him only delight. Small samples he preferred, it is better to remain hungry and pick at the most exquisite of dishes then to stuff oneself with simple meat and potatoes after all. Eldar soulstones decorated this suit of armour and the cries of anger and fear as well as the hatred coming from their souls were of the sweetest symphony. "Truly your race are wonderous musicians no?" He would say to the one that held the bottle of dark elder liquor at his side. With various collars attacked to a spider like contraption formed over her, the dark elder wych glared at the corrupted astartes. "You are beneath me mon'keigh. You may humiliate me in this manner but our people have a saying. It is only the last blade stroke that matters." Viprus yawned at her words with fading amusement. "My dear Hekatrix, you should be grateful for such an opportunity. Even your skills are nothing compared to the daemonettes of the insatiable Goddess." He laughed at his words for a moment before sipping from his glass. "Perhaps if you would like, I can starve you slowly so you can truly feel the youngest goddess's caresses more fervently. Or even better, I can simply leave you restrained and abandoned amongst the mutants in the belly of the ship. I'm sure they will find sufficient amusement with you." Viprus dipped a finger into his glass and lightly drew it in a small line above the dark elder wychs lips. The wych would resist for a few moments before licking it off, the need for suffering and her desire to live outlasting her fury. However she would only give the astartes a look of utter contempt.

Viprus looked at her and cooed softly, tilting his white haired head slightly. "You still have fight in you.. utterly exquisite. Perhaps I shall let the daemonettes have their way with you here and now.. and I won't have to miss your company if I instruct them not to kill you. Could you imagine that, hundreds of thousands of microscopic cuts that would feel you with the sensations of an individual caress by She Who Thirsts." He leaned his head back and sighed softly with delight. There was a fury in the dark eldars eyes that long ago made her a feared opponent in Commorragh but now Viprus only laughed in amusement. "Oh my dear xenos.. one of these days I really must taste of your soul. I'm sure your hate and malice have spiced it perfectly." The wych could only look away from him in both disgust and loathing. Viprus looked back at the planet and nodded a few times. "But after this little round of amusement of course. I have a planet to rule after all.." Standing up, he walked over to the other figure that stood at the bridge in power armour. Clad in the same golden trimmed white armour stood Captain Persedeus. "My old friend. How goes the campaign planning?" The former III Legion Sergeant smiled and gestured towards the mortal slaves crewing the ship. "Well after the slow one week crucifiction, the crew are working much more efficiently." Viprus laughed at the eccentric style of command that his friend demonstrated. But each mortal crewmember was not just mortal, they were beautiful. Surgically beautiful. Each man and woman sitting infront of a console had been altered by the fleshwrights on board because as Viprus put it, he refused to have ugly pets. "We have been in contact with the governess. I think it is about time that we give the signal, my dear Consul." Persedeus smiled as he would hand his commander a data slate. It showed how much damage had been done to the Imperial infrastructure. Commanders of the local PDF had been replaced with those loyal to their cause. As it stands, Governor Adrianna had split apart all three large prisons into six, a number pleasing to Slaanesh in order to have six large sacrifice rituals done at the same time. "Excellent. I do wonder my friend, what do you think we should do with the Governor after this is done?" Viprus held out the dataslate and a surgically beautiful male mortal would take it from him almost instantly, his head bowed down towards the chaos marine. Persedeus glanced over at the wych that was leashed beside the throne. "Let the wych break her mind, then apprentice her to the Scoparius." Viprus nodded his head in agreement, his eyes lighting up in delight. "That I believe we will do. In fact, I may send them to retrieve her after all this has been finished."

The Scoparius was the only mortal fighting force on board that was also armed with power armour and bolters. However, their origin was one of darkness and betrayal. Once a minor convent in the Emperors service, an attack on the planet they were stationed on saw each of the sisters captured by the Dark Eldar. Yet instead of killing them, they were forced into gladiatorial combat for the amusement of the xenos on board massive cabal ships until that particular cabal ship was boarded by the Angels Evermore. Finding a massive hold filled with slaves on board, Viprus ordered them transferred onboard the Angelic Purity. Finding an interest in the defiance of the sisters, he gave some of the captured xenos a choice. Act as his torturers or be consumed by Slaanesh. Soon after with their minds broken, the sisters became a parody of the Sororitas, power armoured women with their faith broken and wholly devoted to Slaanesh were used as shock troops by Viprus to spread terror on worlds. Now on planets where they took in aspirants, females were also taken to be inducted into this unholy sisterhood. Of course this did cost a large amount of slaves, the Scoparius worshipped Slaanesh through torture. Slaves were hung from meathooks and slowly tortured to death in acts of worship, sometimes slaves lasting weeks in the cruel hands of the corrupted sisters.

 ** _Lorhenge Governors Palace_**

"Please, let us have order." Governor Adrianna glanced over at her head bodyguard Captain Nigel Tamperton who was wearing the pure white dress uniforms of the Lorhenge Grenadiers. While the uniforms were ceremonial, the bolt pistol holstered at his side was an indication that the Grenadiers had more than just ceremony in their job description. Adrianna sighed and lightly caressed her fingertips over the purple gem capped symbol of slaanesh in her pocket with impatience. "But Governor, why are we conducting repairs to the planetary communication system now? Surely with what happened with the Arbites-" The minor noble was cut off by the arrival of six more Grenadiers who were also dressed in the white uniforms of their station but they carried very unceremonial autoguns with bayonets attached. "Emperors blood get out of the Honoured Governors office before I order your arrest!" The Captain finally yelled, the large group of nobility who thought themselves entitled to the time of the Governor getting on his final nerves. The bodyguards of the nobility were forced to stand outside, and they looked on nervously. If they fired upon the planetary governor, it was treason. If they did not, they would lose their reputations as bodyguards. Outside, a squad led by a Sergeant in a polished helmet holding a chainsword marched with parade ground precision and stopped with a loud clack of their dress boots. While every inch of their uniforms were pressed and every button and buckle polished to a high shine, the autoguns held in their hands at shoulder arms were very real. "By the numbers. Load!" The Sergeant ordered, the grenadiers in his squad each taking out a magazine from the white leather webbing pouches worn around their chest and slammed a magazine in at the same time. Hearing this, the bodyguards all seemed to reach for their own holsters hesitantly. "Squad, make ready, and address!" The Sergeant bellowed out as each grenadier pulled the charging handles on their autoguns and turned to aim at the bodyguards. Getting the hint, they all put their hands up slowly. Inside the office, Captain Tamperton had also had enough of the nobility. "Honour Guard, ADDRESS." In a single clack, every grenadier in the office had their autoguns aimed at the nobles who then slowly retreated out, realising they might have pushed too far this time. As the nobles and their bodyguards were hustled out with more threats and some enthusiastic proddings with bayonets, Captain Nigel Tamperton sighed and bowed to the governor. "My apologies Lady Governor. I will have the sentries who let them in flogged." Adrianna nodded with some enthusiasm. "Yes Captain, please do. I will not have this rabble in my office again, make sure the guards learn their lesson. And please, send in my next appointment, you may consider yourself dismissed for the day." The end of the day cycle was approaching. As the entire hive was underground, day light and night light were very hard to differentiate if it was not for the lights installed everywhere along the ceilings of the massive hollowed out hives that would slowly dim or brighten depending on the period of the day. With a nod, the Captain clicked his heels in parade ground standard and saluted, before smartly turning around with another click of his dress boot heels. Walking out to the hallway, he would gesture for the next person to enter. "This way, Lieutenant." A young officer clicked to attention and saluted the grenadier Captain and entered the governors office. Sighing as the doors were closed, Nigel wondered if he should stop off at the tavern first before he headed over to his barracks or did the mess hall actually have something worth to bother stopping into. Well, the slow cooked grox shin at the tavern would be worlds better than the cooked in a massive pan whatever meat the messhall was serving today.

The Lieutenant entered, dressed in the tan camouflage fatigues of the Tythen PDFs elite 6th Shocktrooper Company, he would grin at the Governor before sitting down on a seat. "Has it all been arranged?" The Governor asked him with a raised eyebrow at his brazen behaviour. "Of course my lady. Those who did not see sense are all marked as dead in a training accident earlier today. It was unfortunate, a Valkyerie gunship crashed due to technical troubles, the family of the deceased are still being contacted." He smiled with a large grin. As he reached up to scratch his beard a little, a small purple tattoo could be seen at the bottom of his neck, covered normally by the high collars of his uniform. "Good. The Ecclesiarch church has been taken care of. The remaining arbites have all been killed in what was.. an unfortunate gas leak that exploded in their office. Are your men in position?" The governor poured herself a large glass of amasec and drank deeply from it all the way still glancing at the young Lieutenant. "Yes my lady. The 6th Shocktroopers have been stationed in the auditorium as requested. Is the summoning time still the same?" The governor nodded as she set her glass down. "Yes. 9 PM. Every noble has been informed to be there, without exception." The Lieutenant nodded and got up again. "In that case, I had better go down there shouldn't I?" With a smirking look, the traitor officer sauntered out.

That evening, the governor stood at the podium inside the massive meeting hall. There were over 500 officials there, all heads of departments or senior nobles. They had their own bodyguards with them but there were also over 200 members of the 6th Shocktroopers there and they had brought heavy weapons. "Thank you all for coming here. The reason for this is simple. We of Tythen V have toiled too long underneath the shadow of the Imperium. Here and now, I am declaring our independence. We will no longer pay tithes to the Imperium, sending off our precious coins and emptying our schools of draftees. No, I am the new seat of power on this planet." Shocked murmurs escaped from the different groups gathered up from within. "This is HERESY" Screamed out a man in the uniform of the Munitorium. "The Imperium will not stand for this, you will no-." The man was cut off by the sharp crack of a las pistol fired off by a grinning Sergeant in the uniforms of the 6th Shocktroopers. "Those who will join me, stand aside. Those who remain loyal to the corpse god, your time has come!" Of course the nobles all fled, running off to stand with traitor Governor but the rest of them, all Imperium officers merely hardened their eyes. Adrianna gave a single signal and the 6th Shocktroopers opened fire. In less than 5 minutes, every single one of them was cut down. In that instance, a pictcast was broadcast across the planet. Adriana dipped her fingers in the blood of the corpse emperor worshippers blood and painted the 8 starred symbol of Chaos across her face while laughing.

Two hours later, the planet was in civil war. Loyalist PDF troops fought each other, civilians on the street butchered their neighbours or tried to run for cover. Captain Tamperton blanched as he looked at the next wave of civilians who had gone mad, armed with only hammers and things charging towards the barricade he had formed. He was a loyal officer, loyal to the Emperor. He thought with bitterness at how only hours before, he was still in the Governors service. No longer. "We stand in a single moment, a moment where we decide if we are men of the Imperium or dogs content to lie down and die underneath the traitors boots! I ask you Grenadiers, which are you?" The response was a roar of approval by the Grenadiers under his command. "Address the enemy. Rapid rate, FIRE." Like one, the Grenadier Guards all opened fire, autorifles clacking, even heavy stubbers joining in and raked the charging mob with solid slugs cutting them down. Tamperton had drawn his bolt pistol and fired as well. Every so often a civilian could be seen holding a shotgun or rifle of some sort and he would put them down with a well aimed mass reactive shell. He fired at a man holding a rifle, the bolt round exploding his chest cavity. Next shot, he adjusted his aim and put a bolt into the gut of a secretary holding a rifle, sending her guts spewing as she tumbled onto the ground with a look of.. ecstasy? He frowned, it must've been his eyes. He was aging after all. The third shot, the third shot was nothingness as he felt his body hit the floor his only sensation was an explosion of pain as a las bolt had struck him right in his hip, his body collapsing to the ground. He tried to lift his head up only to see soldiers armed with las rifles firing at his men. While the Grenadiers were well trained and well armed, the 6th Shocktroopers had the advantage of a cultist mob absorbing the soldiers auto rounds. Captain Tampertons last sight was of his soldiers dying with empty guns in their hands blood coming out of multiple wounds as the mob over ran them with traitor shocktroopers intermixed still firing as they overran the position.

Enforcer Leyla and her partner Regulator Harris looked at the madness in the street. They looked at each other, both down to their last two bolter mags. The rest of their shock squad had sold their lives dearly, buying them enough time to seal the massive doors of the Munitorium building. They looked at each other and sighed as they both racked the slides of the bolters and pushed forward towards their objective. Their carapace armour had been dented and damaged by the improvised weapons of the mobs as well as score marks from the las rifles fired by the traitor PDF troopers. It was likely their last few moments alive but their lives would be sold dearly. They will stand in front of the Golden Throne before Him and be judged worthy. Their Judges last order to them was simple. "Get to the Munitorium building, and upload this message to this frequency." He had given them his badge, his other hand clutching a massive stub gun as his last few remaining enforcers stood by him. The Arbite shock squad had nodded, knowing the importance of their last mission.

Harris looked back even as they ran up the staircase, hearing the loud thuds and howls of rage as the mob tried to breach the massive door. They could hear the loud crumps of melta charges being used on the door and knew they had minutes. Finally reaching the second floor, they sprinted towards the communication relay, the last one still in Imperial hands for all they know. The planetary communication system was down but Munitorium one was not made to rely on any planetary system. Leyla quickly pushed in the frequency and pushed the data stick into the relay. When the screen asked for authority, she punched in her now deceased Commanders badge number and authorization code. The screen blipped once. Message Sent They could both hear the mob now, roaring their lust for the two arbites lives. Bracing the boltguns against their carapace armours, they both fired as soon as the mob hit. As the two arbites laced the charging horde with bolter rounds, the litany of hate on their lips as cultist after cultist was cut down in an explosive show of rounds detonating inside their body cavities. With an empty click, both arbites reloaded, faster than they ever have knowing that to die with ammunition still on them was a crime in the eyes of Imperial law. As the final rounds left their boltguns, the two of them tossed them onto the ground. Each reaching onto their vests for their last frag grenades. "For the Emperor." Harris said to her as he released the spoons on the grenades. "Ave Imperator." She replied as she did the same. Seconds later the mob hit them with an unholy fury roaring for their blood. The grenades detonated with a loud crump as the mob was blasted back in a fury of concussive force and a deadly shower of fragmentation shrapnel ripping through them, killing a large amount of the cultists as well as destroying the communication relay.

 ** _Ultima Segmentum_**

Aboard the Imperate Electus cruiser, a helmsman frowned as he turned around in his chair. "Watchmaster, I have received an odd transmission. It's encoded in Arbitrator security lock, Vermillion Clearance." The helmeted Watchmaster nodded before turning on his heels sharply. The long trench coat covering his carapace armour, the Krieg Grenadier marched smartly to where she lived and knocked on the door twice, and stood at attention.

The door opened and a man dressed in casual street clothing but wearing carapace armour around it looked at him. A hellpistol was holstered at his side while he carried a cut down hotshot lascarbine with a curious look on his face. "Ma'am, I think someone is here for you." He would step back and a woman appeared dress in a pair of practical pants and a leather jacket looked at the Krieg Grenadier curiously.

"There is something you need to see, Inquisitor."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 3_**

 ** _Aboard the Imperate Electus_**

"Play it again." The handsome woman sitting on the chair behind the table leaned forward, crossing her fingers and resting her chin on her hands stared at the message intently. Beside her stood the gas masked Watchmaster still dressed in the uniforms of the 7th Krieg Heavy Siege Regiment. His boots were spotless, polished to a high spit shine while the Hellgun he held at shoulder arms was obviously quite well used but still maintained in immaculate conditions for a weapon that has probably been used to bash in skulls more times than it was designed for. Standing behind the woman stood a man with a short strip of hair on top of his head with bare skin shaved sides and backs dressed in casual clothing except for the carapace armour around his torso. A bullpup hotshot carbine was slung across his chest.

Sitting at the console hooked up to the display was a man with a hard sharp face with a large scar crossing his mouth wearing a trench coat and combat pants. He hit a button on the console and the message played again.

"This is Judge Opren of the Tyven V Adeptus Arbites. The planet has gone mad, the governor is declaring her independence, armed mobs roam the streets. The Emperors Light has been extinguished on this planet. We of the Adeptus Arbites will sell our lives dearly but this cannot be allowed to stand. I ask for assistance from anyone that receives this message. The traitors cannot be allowed to stand against the Emperors judgement. Ave Imperator."

The message was interlaced with the sound of combat shotguns as well as bolter fire. Inquisitor Laneth Rendalvel closed her eyes for a moment before opening them as she listened to the message. Her interrogator seated at the table seemed to be in an unusually dark mood but that was understandable. Before he was Interrogator Troiey Lamber, he was Arbitrator Troiey Lamber of the Protos Arbites, a planet that was part of the Empire of Ultramar. He knew that as Arbites, each of the Imperial enforcers on the planet would not shy away from duty but for the Adeptus Arbites, recruitment was a slow process. The loss of an entire planets enforcer cadre would be hard to replace and take a very long time. Laneth examined the data slate on the table set in front of her and frowned slightly. "An Arbite Judge sending a message through a Munitorium communications system. That is unorthodox is it not Troiey?" She asked her Interrogator but also typical of her, the question was fielded to everyone in the room. "Yes. It should normally be sent the Hall of Judgement." The former Arbite answered as he glared at the screen. "Munitorium communiques are normally sent split through either Administratum Codes or Commissariat Codes. It's either issues of reinforcement and logistics or guard enforcement related." The man with the stormtrooper haircut would pipe in as well. Veteran Sergeant Cypris Dirk was formerly of the Elysian Drop Troops, a hardened special forces soldier of the 22nd Elysian Drop Troops. "Typically the only ones who can use a Munitorium communication system effectively is the Commissariat because Commissariat clearance codes cut through most of the red tape issues of the Munitorium ones. The Munitorium and Administratum clearances require clearances to use the clearances." A quiet guffaw could be heard from the Watchmaster. Of course to the Krieg Grenadier, all that mattered were more ammunition and reinforcements. And if a Munitorium clerk refused to provide it, then a field execution was called for. Of course there was also a reason that Commissars attached to Krieg regiments were not there to enforce regimental discipline, but rather to ensure that Krieg regiments did not go overboard executing other guardsmen as cowards for following withdrawal orders.

"Well, our path seems to be clear. If nothing else, this calls for investigation. Does it warrant an invasion?" The Inquisitor thought out loud. "My Lady, any planet that turns from the Emperors Light deserves nothing less than the full force of the Astra Militarum." Unsurprisingly, the answer came from the Watchmaster. A soft effeminate chuckle came from the last person in the room. A thin yet clearly fit figure dressed in an armoured bodyglove laid sprawled over a couch set beside the desk. It was hard to tell in some ways if it was a male or female face, a cybernetic eye was set on a high cheek boned face that would not have been out of place gracing a pleasure den on a paradise world. "For Watchmaster Veimeer a toaster that is three seconds out of programmed toasting time is enough of a reason to send in the Emperors hammers."

Cypris coughed a little and tried not to laugh as an amused curve of the Inquisitors lips threatened to turn into a full blown smile. The Watchmaster only looked at the effeminate figure and made a sound of disgust. "Play nice Silas, the Watchmaster is as Krieg made him." The Interrogator finally stepped in, an amused smile on his face regardless of his tone. Silas only pouted and sprawled into another position on the couch must like the way a feline would. Cypris would cough politely however, and lightly touched the Inquisitors shoulder. "All due respect Inquisitor, but perhaps now would not be the time to pull Inquisitional authority where we are, in the Ultima Segmentum. Not after our last interaction with the Ultima Fleet.." On their previous mission, Laneth had used her Inquisitional authorities to order an Imperial Naval Fleet to abandon their mission to reinforce the Ultramarine defence against the tyranid threat in order to send the four Imperial Guard regiments onto a minor world where the local priest had tried to declare himself the new regeant of the Emperor. Only two regiments remained after it was realised that ones behind the scenes were Alpha Legion astartes, and the trap was sprung on them. "Yes, I suppose trying to force the Navy again or even to send a message to the Ultramarines would end rather poorly." Inquisitor or not, the reality often was that the rosette only carried so far, especially when said bearer of the rosette had angered the Segmentum fleet command.

Laneth thought about it for a moment. "Very well. I suppose the best thing to do is to check to see what is going on. After all, it's not the first time we've had to remove a governor from office." Her acolytes nodded and each headed off to conduct their own rites of preparation. After they left, Laneth closed her eyes again and thought about what this could mean for the planet itself if they had to order in the Imperial Guard.

 ** _Station 88305_**

"Commander, we have news from our assets." Rythor would hand a data slate over to Kyreg, the Gungnir Sergeant having led his squad conducting patrols outside the fortified base as well as to receive transmissions. Kyreg nodded his thanks and looked over the data slate. He hit a button which began to play the video recording. It showed a great hall and a deranged man standing a few hundred feet away on top of a marble podium. "Today is finally the day we throw down the yokel of the corpse emperor! May his corpse rot in the warp! Today my brothers and sisters we have freedom! True freedom given to us by the gods of the warp and we will use this freedom to give them the adoration that they demand!" Cheers of all sorts erupted around the recording device. The bearer of the device would look around and it seemed that the entire room was filled with nobility, as well as their various servants and bodyguards. "But my brothers and sisters, we have much work to do! We still have those who are misguided and still believe in the false emperor… they must be ENLIGHTENED." The recorder started moving as whoever had it would walk closer to the podium. Beside the man could be seen four armed men in a local uniform but with symbols of Slaanesh tattooed on their cheeks and foreheads. The recording ended with the recorder walking infront of a mirror wall and Kyreg could see that it was Galya now dressed as serving girl.

"It seems brothers, they have made their move. It seems our suspicions are correct… the traitors being here are not a coincidence but now I wonder what it is that they seek." Kyreg gestured for the other legionnaires to form around him. It was the way of the Legion to seek advice from those under your command. "It cannot be just for slaves and supplies. Even the grandiose crazed of Slaanesh do not try to take over a world when it is just slaves or amusement they seek. It is much safer for them to capture the slaves in a quick raid, and leave the capital city burning before escaping into the warp." Thodor spoke up at this, with the other legionnaires nodding in agreement. "Then it seems they aim to capture the planet. But a single battle barge cannot take a planet. Not when it is a traitors ship that has been unable to resupply itself from forge worlds and the like. A traitor ship will not possess three full companies of Astartes. Nor will it have a full compliment of weapons and ammunitions on board." Sergeant Lefias chimed in, with the others nodding as well. After the great scouring no matter which Legion was on the run, the issue has always been the same. Except for the Eye of Terror or the influential enough regions such as those ruled over by Huron Blackheart, there are very few places for Traitor astartes to resupply. Dark forge worlds pumped out supplies for the mortal forces of Chaos but as for the Astartes, they relied on raiding the supplies of foolish or vulnerable loyalist marines.

"Well according to our asset the grunt work will not be done by them. Look at all of the humans who have fallen to their influences." Kyreg pointed out, while Thodor had a face of distaste as they played the video again. "The planet is secondary. We serve the Emperor and the Imperial Truth, not the lapdogs of Terra. Whatever the traitors are looking for, we must stop them. However we cannot simply invade Lorehenge. Even considering the Gamma 6-7, we lack the numbers to fight an entire planet. No, we must gather more intelligence." Kyreg examined a holographic map of the capital city as well as the surrounding country sides. "Rythor. I believe it prudent to send out Gungnir towards the country sides surrounding the capital city. It seems from all the information gathered so far that the rot spreads from the nobility, meaning that while the city itself maybe wrecked in turmoil, any resistance would be on the outskirts or the rural regions. Let us see if we can find some of them and put them to use." Rythor nodded as he brought out a map of his own and began marking spots. "Mordin. You are to act as our central communicator while we are away in the field. Taleon will secure this facility at all costs. I require Sergeant Yingr to meet with us. I know he is on the planet somewhere but I require a face to face." Mordin would bow his head slightly at the Commanders orders. "Xythos, while Gungnir heads into the country side, we will need to gather more information around the city itself. We will deploy immediately." Affirmatives came through on the vox as the legionnaires readied themselves.

 ** _Four hours later_**

Kyreg and Xythos were about six kilometers away in a defensive circle spread out as they awaited. A single homing beacon was set in the middle as soon they could hear the barely audible sound of one of the modified Stormeagles touch down and two attack bikes were set down. With a salute from the pilot, the transport vessel took off to head back to orbit, its stealth fields activating momentarily after dropping off the bikes. Xythos moved swiftly onto the bikes, Kyreg jumping onto the main bike while Thodor sat into the passenger carrier. Ulyr jumped onto the other bike while Mytis also jumped into the passenger side. The two bikes were standard Legion pattern assault bikes but with a few modifications. The bikes were made for self-sufficiency and reduced supply need so instead of a heavy bolter, twin-linked multilasers were installed instead. Powerful enough to bunch through power armour and cover, it provided the major anti-personnel weapon. At the same time, a las cannon was set down as some anti-armour capabilities for the assault bike. For the passenger however, a Tau railgun was mounted for the passenger to provide an extreme long range weapon to the modified bikes. Kyreg revved the engine, the muffler barely making a sound as the modified assault bikes took off. After an hour careful riding through the various hills that made up the eastern side of the continent that led to Lorhenge, Kyreg signalled a stop, the legionnaires keeping their bikes about 10 meters apart while they put up the cameoline camouflage netting that came with them. While Kyreg began looking through their surroundings with a pair of binos, Thobor used the magnified electronic sight of the railgun to examine the country side as well. The reason Kyreg had signalled a stop was because the air smelled different. A slight smell of corpses as well as ionised air that came from a mass use of las weapons had reached his nose, the wind bringing the scent to his enhanced Astartes senses. Frowning slightly, he gestured for a slow advance as he marked what he saw on the common map shared by Xythos, a small red circle marking the spot that he suspected was the source of the smell. The bikes advanced slowly, crawling forward so as to allow the Cameoline to still be effective. After twenty minutes of slowly advancing, they could see a few tents set up with bodies all around. The tents were perhaps four or five kilometers further down the road, and it seemed to be around six of them. The tents were big enough for perhaps 10 people each but there were probably hundreds of corpses in massive piles a short distance away from the tents. Kyreg focused his binos and he could see humans carrying everything from crude spears to las rifles wearing symbols that were definitely not Imperial gathering around the small fire places. With a frown, he opened the vox to Ulyr. "I can see cultists but I want a whole picture overall. Circle around, I wish to see who they have been waging war against."

Ulyr clicked his vox once in affirmation before lightly tapping the apothecary manning the railgun beside him. "We have our orders. I think Kyreg can guess there just might be an Imperial presence here somewhere." Mytis nodded and lightly adjusted something on the electronic sight of the railgun. With a quiet purr, Ulyr pushed the bike around and started to circle the outer most side around some of the smaller hills. He went slow, not because of any worry over the bikes or the terrain but in order to keep himself hidden. Four legionnaires were enough to win battles, but those who concerned themselves only with winning a battle seldomly won the war.

The legionnaire guided the bike slowly circling away from where the tents were marked on his HUD map display in his helmet. At his side, Mytis scanned the horizon slowly looking through the electronic targeting sight of the rail gun mounted on the sidecar. As the bike moved through the low gullies of the landscape, Mytis sent a single vox blip to the legionnaire piloting the bike and the bike came to a slow stop. "There. Near the edge of the treeline." Nodding at the apothecarys words, Ulyr brought up his binos and looked towards the treeline. There was a massive section of woods but right in front of the tree line was a series of trenches and fortifications dug in. Heavy stubbers could be seen set up with flakboards and sandbags as well as men in sand coloured helmets manning them. Every so often a heavy bolter can be seen mounted in certain sections but it seemed that the PDF troops were not technologically gifted when it came to heavy weapons on this planet. With a slight nod, Ulyr pushed the bike slightly further away from the treeline but effectively moving behind the defensive line itself. It seems as if the defensive line was made for the woodland behind it. Perhaps not all the mortals here were hopeless. Ulyr thought to himself before he set his binos up again and observed.

A single blip alerted Kyreg as Ulyr seemed to have expanded on the map markings. Loyalist positions were marked out. Good, a defensive position about a kilometer or so away. There were clearly no heavy guns as those would already be firing if that was the case. One of the tent flaps opened and someone in power armour stood out. Expecting it to be a corrupted cousin, Kyreg enhanced the magnification only to see that it was too small to be an Astartes power armour. No, it was a woman who wore it, a woman with snow white hair and markings of Slaanesh carved onto her face. Purple ash had been rubbed into the wounds so that the scar tissue itself was of a sickly purple hue on her face. Sororitas? The infamous Sisters of Battle? No. The equipment was much more improvised. More of them stepped out of the tent flaps, 12 in total who readied bolters and melta guns. Every single one of them seemed to carry a chained edged weapon of some kind, from chainswords to even a chainglaive. The leader of them, a woman in bright white power armour with gold trim said something to a man carrying an autogun and the man bowed before running off to the other cultists around. Without waiting for them, the women began to march towards the loyalist positions. So, it was to be an assault then. If the legionnaires were not there, perhaps this would have been a slaughter. Perhaps. While Kyreg knew that mortals were capable of much, they were still that, just mortals.

The 12 unholy sisters marched towards the loyalist positions, a certain grace in their steps even as texts carved onto flayed skin fluttered from their attachments to their power armour. There was a certain unholy beauty about them, Ulyr decided. However that was the temptation that the youngest goddess offered. His lips curled in a look of disgust, he checked his stalker bolter carefully. The magazine was loaded with a 30 round magazine of Cainite rounds. That would be enough for them. Of course in their arrogance, the Slaaneshi warriors seemed to forget that the hand of the Emperor reaches far. The Imperial Truth came from a barrel of a gun, those of his Legion knew better than anyone. They were there, Legionnaire reconnaissance squads armed with sniper rifles ready to put down every officer of the XVII if they spoke out against the Emperor that day when his psychic might forced the entire Word Bearer legion on their knees as he destroyed their worship of him. The Ultramarines lacked the ruthlessness required to kill someone in cold blood, but his Legion did not. When the Emperor received Lorgars promise to never spread Emperor worship again, a subtle signal by one of his Custodian-Captains had saw his legion marksmen disappear. A subtle twitch of the pinkie on the left hand that held the Custodians Guardian Spear. Such was the way of his legion after all.

With a shout, the chaos sisters held their chain weapons high and the cultists around them charged. Firing wildly at the PDF positions, screams of ecstasy would come from the charging mob as the PDF soldiers opened fire, dropping dozens with the loud clatter of their autoguns. "How very IV Legion of you.." Ulyr muttered to himself. One of the IV Legions favoured tactic was to use the Imperial Auxilia attached to them as bolter shields. That way the actual Astartes assault could be used to pierce the formation itself. And of course, that was before they turned to heresy.

"Target, chaos power armour unit leader. Range 1582 meters. Temperature within parameters. Slight wind east to west. Humidity within parameters. Confirm when firing solution presented." Every member of Kyregs legionnaires were trained marksmen and quite capable of matching the accuracy of legion reconnaissance squads from any legion. They were quite capable of even giving the twice-damned Blood Angel marksmen a run for their money. After a few moments, Mytis grunted his confirmation. "We have firing solution for the power armoured ones." He would alert Kyreg.

Far behind the enemy formation, Kyreg had provided the same type of information. "Target, chaos power armour melta gunner. Range 1134 meters. Temperature within paramters. Slight wind east to west. Humidity within parameters. Confirm when firing solution presented." In his case however, Thobor and his psyker abilities gave him an edge. "I have firing solution commander." Kyreg grinned underneath his helm. "Await fire orders. Let them engage first."

"My sisters! We will send more souls of these worshippers of the Corpse God to The Prince of Pleasure! Every soul is another tribute to blessed of the warp!" The Slaaneshi Reaver screamed out as her sisters responded in kind, screeching the way harpies perhaps used to during the ancient Terran eras. Around them, the cultists charged forward, finally making it into the Imperial lines as the Reavers fired their bolters, targeting the PDF heavy weapon platforms.

"Sir, the Colonel has been hit. What do we do?" The panicked looking private jumped into the foxhole beside Captain Miles Tyrborne. The PDF officer gritted his teeth and fired his autogun on full auto, sweeping the charging line of the traitors. There were too many to miss at this point. "Private, we die in place. We die in place in the name of the Emperor and we will stand at the Golden Throne with our minds ready and clear to receive judgement. That is what we do Private." The Private reloaded a new belt onto the stubber and nodded before firing, steam and smoke coming out of the barrel as the barrel was heated up even more by the solid slug rounds being fired out of it. Captain Tyrborne reloaded and heard the stubber stop, turning his head to admonish the Private when he realised that a burst of bolter rounds had caught him in his neck and head, leaving only a half pulped torso and blown out skull leaned against the trench wall now. Cursing as he shoved the corpse aside, he pulled the trigger on the stubber and swept the line through the horde. They were only 300 meters away now, and he knew how this was going to end. Looking down the trench line, there were more bodies now then there were living soldiers. Even the newest recruits were veterans now, this was not something which the PDF was truly ever prepared for. "9th Company.. we die in place. We die because every second we stay alive is another second denied to traitors. We die because it is the Emperors Will that we go down fighting. Our only solace is that we died as soldiers in service to the Golden Throne." A ragged cheer erupted along the trench lines. The PDF soldiers all knew this was how it would end. Some had dirty faces washed with tears as they held onto their weapons and fired.

"On my mark. Fire." The tau railguns fired with a loud metallic sound, the two targeted Reavers simply collapsing as their armour disintegrated under the force of the rail rounds, their innards turned into organ soup as they fell. The other Reavers paused for a moment before two more of their squad were dropped to the ground. Scanning their bolters left and right, they looked for the source of the lethally accurate snipers, shoving cultists in front of to act as a shield to no avail. The next rounds punched through multiple cultists to shred through their power armour and leave them on the ground with their previously solid organs pouring out of the entry and exit wounds. The last six began to retreat but as they closed in, Thobor fired off two more rounds dropping them. At a closer range, one of the chaos reavers head simply exploded leaving nothing but a bloody stump where the head used to be. Kyreg fired the las cannon into one, the corrupted sister falling to the ground with a hole where her vital organs used to be. Finally shouldering his stalker bolter, a quick burst took care of the other two while Thobor fired the rail rifle again and sent the last one to the warp.

"To my position." Kyreg ordered. He revved the bike and met Ulyr behind the woodland where the assault bikes were quickly stashed. "To battle my brothers. The Emperor appreciates saved mortal lives. So let us indulge Him. Blackshield pattern." The four legionnaires dismounted, the active camouflage switching at a single command to the suits cognitor and changed the dusk blue armour into all black. An illusion of course but a necessary one. They walked through the woods, seeing what the PDF was defending. Civilians, shell shocked, some injured, some dying and some soon to be dead all hiding in the woodland. Kyreg would acknowledge the sacrifice of the mortal soldiers later on. Xythos strode through the woods, civilians gaping at the four legionnaires, some going on their knees to pray. Some with tears in their eyes as they saw what could only have been their prayers answered. "It's the Emperors Angels." Some whispered. "It's his divine judgement come to life." Some started sobbing, as the Legionnaires exited the treeline to stand there as the PDF soldiers stared at them.

Captain Tyrborne was on his knees as he watched the previously howling chaos Reavers be torn apart by someone. Someone had helped them; someone had killed these chaos champions. He closed his eyes and prayed.

 _"I tread the path of Righteousness. Though it be paved with broken glass, I shall walk it barefoot; though it crosses rivers of fire, I will pass over them; though it wanders wide, the light of the Emperor guides my step" The Captain had his eyes closed before one of his men shook him rather roughly. "Sir.. I.. look!" The Captain looked up to see four black armoured clad Astartes with bolters at the ready. "I.. my Lord! It's a miracle.." The Captain stuttered as he looked over at the space marines who seem to have come in the nick of time._

 _"There are no miracles. There are only men." Kyreg replied, quoting Saint Sabbat. The soldiers around him gaped at the response. "There is the Emperors Words Captain. Do you know what they are?" he asked them as his squad stood above the trenches, solid rounds and las rifles flying past them. The mortal officer shook his head. "Death to traitors." Kyreg replied right before Xythos opened fire. The cainite rounds were quite frankly overkill against the unarmoured cultists but each legionnaire fired precise kill shots regardless, dropping cultist after cultist. The cainite rounds would punch through more than one heretic, only detonating if the bolter hit solid bone. When it did, it took off limbs and entire chunks out of the chaos cultists as the melta cap would melt flesh and bone while the acid would shoot out inside of the cultists body. Some were missing organs as they dropped to the ground. As the last rounds were fired out of their stalker bolters, the squad drew their blades in unison. Blue powerfields were activated as the four legionnaires strode in, only Kyreg holding his phase sword and butchered the traitors._

 _Gore would fly as the powerswords did not merely cut through the mortal bodies but it utterly gutted them. The battlefield would be covered with gore and blood as the legionnaires waded through, cutting down every single one until there was no more. The four legionnaires stood amidst the battlefield and sheathed their blades, reloading their bolters as well. The PDF soldiers could only stare at the astartes as they strode out of the battlefield._

 _"My Lord.. what do we do next?" The mortal officer asked as he kneeled in front of the Emperors angels. "You fight Captain. As long as there is a single drop of blood left, a single round and shell in our guns, we fight. The Emperor expects." Kyreg answered before he gestured for the man to get up. "Tell me. How many of you are there. The ones still loyal to the Golden Throne." The man thought about it for a moment. "Well Lord, when everything happened we asked for guidance from PDF Command. PDF Command ordered us to head back into the city and pledge allegiance to the Governor. I.. I didn't feel that was right my Lord. I'm faithful to the Emperor, I couldn't just betray my oath like that. There are a few of us, we're the 9th Company. I believe that companies First to 6th have all abandoned their faith to the Emperor. There is just us, the 9th. The 10th and 11th have holed up as well and refuse to swear allegiance to this treason. I'm not sure of their status my lord, but we are barely sixty left out of more than two hundred and fifty. And that's including the walking wounded." Kyreg nodded once again. "Then let me ask you this. Given the opportunity to serve the Emperor, will you? Not just you. But everyone in the woods. Would they all serve the Emperor again?" The man nodded eagerly. "Yes My Lord. We are at your service." Kyreg nodded again before blipping his vox. In a few moments, three stormeagles arrived as well as a single Thunderhawk, undoing their cloaking at the last moment as they landed and the ramps dropped. "Hurry then Captain. Get all your people on board, now." The officer nodded in surprise as he hurried off._

 _"Is that wise Commander?" Phobor had messaged him in private vox. "These people are all products of the Ecclesiarch. Who knows how they will react to the truth?" Kyreg sighed softly inside his helmet. "Phobor… do we not serve the Emperor and the Imperial Truth?" Phobor seemed to almost be hurt at his Commanders questions. "Commander, you know that is the reason we were forged from the geneforges of Luna." "Yes Phobor, we are. And how will humanity rule the stars if we leave them to die?" Phobor nodded once, at least understanding the reason behind his commanders actions. After almost an hour, the ships were loaded and cloaked again, flying back up to the Kilo Zeta with its new occupants._


	4. Chapter 4

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 4_**

 ** _Lorhenge_**

Galya bowed as the noble duke ordered another round of amasecs for the table. She would walk into the back of the drinking hall and fetch another fresh bottle and uncork it before pouring it into four large decanters and placing them on a serving plate. Then she would head back out and set the serving plate in the middle of the table, taking one of the decanters and filling up the various nobles glasses again before bowing and disappearing into the background of other servants and the like. Even though she was dressed in the light blue uniform of a serving girl of the _Ibris Nautica_ drinking hall, underneath the uniform she was a lithe killing machine formerly of the Death Cult of Moritat in a coven that was hidden in a small trade planet in the Segmentum Pacificus. However her Death Cult was eliminated bit by bit, and when Kyreg had shown her the truth, the Imperial Truth, she had slain her Master herself.

"This is truly dreadful business you know, our earnings have decreased by at least 15 percent." A large portly figure was saying to the other nobles around the table. "So have ours. Well what to expect, trade has been cut off so if your holdings deal with external trade, then I suppose you are the unfortunate one." Another man piped up and the table chuckled a bit at that. "Diversity I tell you, a portfolio should always be diverse. After all, would you rather be at the soup kitchen or being drafted? No no.. ensure your portfolio is diverse, that is how we guarantee our income during times of crisis." The last man would speak up and the others all clinked their glasses in agreement together. Even though the planet itself had declared itself separate from the Imperium, after the week of murders and cleansing of loyalists, it had gone back to usual relatively quickly. The only difference now is that the new police force were members of the Hyberg Enforcers, white uniformed soldiers who patrolled the streets now in the name of the Governor and the dark prince. The Governor had started ordering for the orphanages to be opened up and its occupants taken towards the Governors palace, which was now an eyesore of a building. The previously relatively mild white stone built structure was now painted in various shades of garish eye sore as well as heavily armed Hyberg Enforcer troops whom carried riot shotguns and las rifles taken from the various PDF armouries that had fallen.

Galya turned her head at a sharp whistle. The owner of the bar, a motherly looking woman by the name of Shaury Ouinn had whistled at her and gestured for her to come to the kitchen. "Suzanne hun, I need you to take care of the new girl. Say hi Rose." Galya saw a young woman with purple in her eyes and frowned a little bit on the inside before nodding at her. A Cadian? All the way out here? Any Cadian who wasn't busy serving in a Regiment was a corpse being buried somewhere. She would file the information away for later. "Rose hun this is Suzanne, she's one of our servers. Just follow her and learn the ropes from her. Suzanne, I just hired her. She's one of the refugees from the country side." The tavern owner would look awkwardly at that before disappearing back into the kitchen. Refugees. That's what they called the civilians that the Hyberg Enforcers had found in other cities and trucked in to act as labour. It was a bit far fetched for Shaury to say that she was "hired." No, she was drafted and given a choice of working in the city or sacrificed.

"I'm a faster learner.. I think.. so I won't give you any trouble. Please just don't send me back to the barracks.." Galya looked at the woman for a moment and thought about her words. "The barracks? You mean…" The woman nodded slightly, a faint bruise could be seen as she nodded, her neck barely being covered by the collar of the uniform. "Yes.. this is my.. second.. assignment.." Galya sighed softly and led the girl towards the liquor section. "Listen Rose, you're a nice girl and all and I'm sorry you got sent to the barracks first. But don't do anything stupid here, the nobles that drink here are all flunkeys of the Governor, you get my meaning?" She would whisper harshly into her ear, the new girl nodding furiously. "Just smile and twirl away if you get your ass grabbed." The girl nodded again and began to follow Galya as she made her way back to the tables. Galya in her disguise wore glasses now but they were recording glasses. A covert pictcapturer was built into, one of her many gadgets that helped her complete her objectives.

"A toast to the new Lord General!" A table nearby erupted in cheers as a man with a too dark for his age set of hair held up a glass. They wore the uniforms of what was the Tythen V PDFs General Staff. "It was about time really, I was quite glad when ole Reggie was executed. Too much of the Emperors worshipper in him really." Another similarly attired man laughed as the Lord General, a man with a monocle and a set of hair that was not out of place at a Tempestus Scion Academy tried to light a cigar and frowned a little, before waving Galya over. "My dear, a light if you will." Galya curtsied slightly before taking a jetlighter out of her uniform pockets and lit the officers cigar. "You know my dear, you remind me of a young officer at the academy once upon a time, she was quite eager and ambitious you see.." The General chuckled slightly, as the other men around the table all gave each other knowing smiles. "Well I was thinking that I am in need of an assistant you see.. and you seem to have the qualification for it.." Galya chuckled lightly and curtsied again. "If you're looking to hire me sir, I'd gladly accept." The General looked almost stunned for a moment before nodding and handing a card over to her. "Yes come by the PDF base tomorrow.. a sentry will show you in." Galya curtsied again before leaving the table, the other men giving the newly promoted General congratulatory remarks.

At a table across the room, two men sat with a plate of a local vegetable deep fried in between them while they both drank out of tall mugs of amber ale. "It's not bad this stuff. Really." The man on the left sat there with a very bankers crew cut said to his companion. His companion, having shaved his head bald only nodded with a grunt. "Come now Troiey, you never enjoy the small stuff." The man dipped a piece of a root vegetable in a green sauce and ate it appreciatively. The bald headed man only growled a little, before tasting a small piece of it. After chewing it for a few seconds, he would tilt his head a little in acquiescence. "Alright Dirk, fine. It's not bad. We're still not here on a food tour." The former Elysian stormtrooper simply shrugged and emptied his mug. "Look at the waitresses here. I mean stick a skull on my face and call me chaplain, look at her walk away." Interrogator Troiey Lamber only sighed slightly and kept his attention on the table of PDF Generals. As was typical after a "revolution", it was now power grab time. It was not like local nobles cared really about the Emperor one way or the other, only for ways to increase their own wealth. He regretted bringing Dirk around but his only other option was to bring maybe the Watchmaster along. And wearing a full on Imperial Guard uniform in a tavern that was in a city that controlled a planet that was wholly devoted to the dark gods now was quite frankly suicide. He believed in the Emperors might with all his heart. He also knew from practical experience that auto rounds and las bolts did not distinguish between the loyalist and the heretic.

"Looks like we won't be receiving any help from the PDF forces on the planet." He muttered quietly as a waitress walked by. Cyprus nodded slightly and tilted his head towards where a lot of the nobles were sitting. "If I had to guess, we would find the resistance not in the major cities but in the country side. Seems like corruption started with the seats of power here." Troiey nodded and ordered another ale. Maybe after the raid, he could convince the Inquisitor to confiscate some barrels of this stuff, it really was good.

 ** _Two days earlier_**

"Inquisitor. I hope to frak our stealth shield is holding because I think that's an Astartes battle barge on the other side of the planet." The Elysian Sergeant blurted out as the Inquisitor and her retinue stood on the bridge of the Inquisitional Cruiser. The Krieg Watchmaster turned his head and looked at him for a moment, as if he dared to say such things in front of a Holy Representative of the Emperors Will. "Frak you Veimeer. I know you Krieg clones all think dying in battle is the greatest thing since toasted wheat but I would rather not go up against an Astartes vessel to find out." Cyprus said to the Watchmaster. "It's Frak you Watchmaster Veimeer." The gas masked man said to the surprise of everyone before he turned his head back to look at the viewing port.

"Magos?" The Inquisitor asked the tech adept on board standing in front of a console. "Lady Inquisitor, it is by my calculations that the appropriate rites have been observed and that the stealth shielding will hold unless we were to take a direct hit from a main gun of the vessel there." The Inquisitor nodded for a moment. "Alright. We need more information so Troiey, take two people down there with you. We need to find out more, and find out just how far gone this planet is. Most of all, we need to see if there's any resistance, any loyal subjects of the Emperor down here because other wise I will have to order this planet contained by His Divine Majestys Navy and have it cleansed by cyclonic torpedo." Troiey had nodded and looked at the people gathered around. "Cyprus, Silas. I'll take you two. Sorry Veimeer, but you're gonna get us all killed." The Interrogator would respond. The Watchmaster simply shrugged and patted the hellgun at his side. "It is not ours to ask why, but simply to do or die." The Kreig soldier answered.

The re-entry into the atmosphere was rather easy. The Inquisitional thunderhawk was equipped with multiple layers of stealth fields that allowed them to get on the surface rather easily. Once on the surface, they had to find their way to the actual underground hives. There were massive open dock spaces but instead of drawing attention, they had disguised themselves as merchants.

"This dust is horrible for my hair and my skin. Ugh." Silas complained as he took another sip from a large bottle of cold water while riding in the large 4x4 truck. Cyprus looked at the effeminate assassin and sighed a little bit while Troiey was just annoyed. 'Well I know you two don't care about how old you look but I would like to hold off the rejuvenant treatments for a bit longer."

"Silas, you're 42 and you've had two rejuvenant treatments already since being on board, all cosmetic." Troiey answered, just to stick a wrench into the assassins wheels. The assassin almost blushed and stared daggers at the Interrogator while Cyprus burst out laughing. "Bloody hell, you're 42 and you still act like that?" Silas leaned back on his seat with a humph. "How typical of you Troiey, so afraid to admit that you find me attractive so you have to be hurtful." Troiey was about to respond when Cyprus stuck in again. "Wait so Troiey, the rumours going around about you are true?" Before the Interrogator could answer, they were already at the checkpoint. Showing their forged documents and what not, the soldiers guarding the checkpoint just waved them through, already having been dosing on obscura or worse.

"Seriously though, you are one of the.. others?" Cyprus would ask after they passed through. Troiey gripped the steering wheel and rolled his eyes a little. "No I'm not. Silas here just wants to start a new gossip on board the cruiser because he's bored." The assassin nodded before drinking more water. "Sure sure, deny it all you want dear, everyone knows how you look at me." Cyprus chuckled while Troiey just sighed again and drove them to one of the main hotels in the capital city.

 ** _Present_**

In the early mornings, Galya put on her best "professional" outfit, garnering many a stares from the various locals as well as a few over appreciative pat downs by the guards at the front of the base. She had shown them the Generals card and soon she was being brought to his office. The General was seated in his office and smiled at her when she came in.

"Ah yes, I see you've found yourself at the right place. And how very well dressed you are this morning." Lord General Crass Blythe grinned at the woman standing infront of him. She could sense his lechery from across the desk but it was part of her duty. "Good morning sir. I think you'll find me quite capable. I'm extremely adept at most consoles, and I'm a fast typist. And I've been told I make an excellent cup of recaf." The General grinned again and nodded. "Excellent, excellent. The desk out front is yours, and in that case please fetch me a cup. I prefer mine a bit sweet you see. Don't be afraid to put a little amasec into it either my dear."

Galya curtsied a little and went out towards the front where a receptionist desk was and near it was a small cabinet and a hot water heater. She would brew up a fresh pot of recaf and poured some syrup into it and a shot of amasec. It was things like this that made her put a bolt round into her former Master. She remembered all the amasecs so old that the labels were no longer legible. The golden gilded furniture that adorned the mans quarters. The demands of the Master Assassin to utilise his charges under him for his own pleasure. Of course it was seen as simply obeying the words of the Emperor back then through the Master of the death cult. Before she had been enlightened. She remembered the youngest recruits, and their tradition of being sent into the Masters chambers after their first kill. She remembered all of this. And she was glad, glad that it was by her own hands that the man was put down. In her more human moments, she felt a certain sadness towards the astartes that had rescued her. She had seen it all, seen his helmet recordings. She was perhaps one of the few to actually see the Emperor of Mankind back when he still walked the stars through the recordings that they had given her to see. She knows what his voice sounded like. Those few hours of recordings had brought her closer to the Emperor than ever before and yet, she no longer worshipped him. She understood what the Imperial Truth was and what the legionnaires had killed and bled for.

After giving the General his coffee, she had been given a list of commanders to check with. She would call them one by one, apparently this was a list of all of those who were loyal to the Governor. A map was there and it showed the known loyalist positions marked out to be assaulted and the positions of the various deployed PDF troops. She was momentarily thankful for lecherous old men as she was given only a simple back ground check and her forged background stood up to it. Then she was asked to swear loyalty to the Governor and to denounce worship of the Emperor. At this, she smiled a bit. She had ceased worshipping the Emperor many decades ago. Her rejuvenant treatments however had ensured she still looked like the two decade old assassin when they had found her back then.

These information were already recorded by her glasses. As she sat down on the desk, she quickly logged onto the console and checked the Generals appointments for today. There were a few other senior military officers here to offer their congratulations but also some nobles who were there surely to find favour. It was quite typical of the weak and feeble minded to throw their lot in just like that.

 ** _Forty kilometers east of Lorhenge_**

Kyreg checked the message sent to him. It was Yingr who received his confirmation to meet. Yingr sent him a set of coordinates and Kyreg sent it to the rest of Xythos. "Commander, I believe that is a small farmhouse type structure there." Thobor said to him as he examined a map on a data slate of their surrounding areas. "Very well then, let us not keep Yingr waiting." A series of affirmatives answered him over the vox and the two assault bikes were driven towards the objective.

Yingr was a rather unique astartes. During the great crusade, he was one of those who first who surrounded himself not with fellow astartes but with human operatives, providing information and intelligence to commanders. It was a rather unique manner which the legionnaire operated by but it was an effective one. Of course he was also a rather potent psyker, that was what had alienated him from many of his squads in the first place. The Edict of Nikea was not one that had sat right with him, that much Kyreg knew but he had also not obeyed it. No one in their legion had. After all, it was very few of them that their cousins even knew about and could even judge.

Kyreg had rescued him during the scouring, where the loyalist legions had pushed the traitors back towards the eye of terror bit by bit. But for Kyreg and the 8th, they had instead retreated into hiding. They had spent their time allying with Blackshield legionnaires, those who wished to carve out their own fiefdom. Bit by bit of course, Kyreg and his crew had taken many of them down but when he had encountered a brother captured in a prisoners cell years ago, he had released him only for the brother to demand to know where his loyalties lay. When he found the answer satisfactory, Yingr had joined him and proved to be a powerful asset. That is not to say the legionnaire Sergeant was incapable with bolter or blade, but that it was rather an entirely different skillset which Kyreg required from him. At the same time, Yingr was also their unofficial Master of Initiates. Recruitment for them had been slowed down quite a bit as stable gene seed became less and less available but after this, perhaps more would be increased.

On board the Kilo Zeta, only six initiates were there, those who had passed their trials and showed compatibility with their gene seeds. Yingr had taken them under his wings and trained them in the way of the Legion. Of course it would be a while before they could take to the field of battle in full astartes plate. The modifications that Maygis specialised in required a lot of time and efforts to produce. A Mk IV power armour needed a upgraded powerpack in order to power the stealth fields as well as the holographic adjuster installed onto their armour. The helmets needed to have upgrades, all modified xenos tech, in order to detect the stealth suits used by Tau stealthsuits or Eldar technology. Last he had checked, they were 80 percent complete. Of course even after receiving their battle plates, more hypno conditioning was required, as the initiates needed to be shown the truth of the Horus heresy. The truth of what had happened. Out of the four hundred they had recruited, only five had succeeded. Many had to be put down by his own hands after their minds simply broke at the knowledge that had been shown them, of the nature of chaos. Of xenos. Of the level of treason that the current Imperium of Man and the High Lord of Terra were enacting.

They soon arrived at their destination and it had a small farmhouse and a barn on the field. "No life signatures in the farmhouse Commander. Six in the barn." Kyreg nodded and opened a vox channel to the preset one for Yingr. "Xythos is count of four." The reply back was quick said by the steady voice of Sergeant Yingr. "We are count of seven. You are welcomed." With a nod of his head, Kyreg gestured for Xythos to follow him. Moving from the defensive positions they had taken while on the bikes, Kyreg entered first followed by the rest of his squad. The other legionnaires all came in with readied bolters. The way of the Legion was one of paranoia and deceit after all. Sergeant Yingr was there along with five Initiates. "Welcome Commander. I trust your journey treated you well." Kyreg laughed lightly as he undid his helmet. The Astarte Sergeant was in full warplate with his cameoline cloak while the five initiates were there as well in scout armour. The initiates bowed their heads respectfully towards the Legionnaire Commander. "You wished to meet Commander?" Kyreg nodded and handed Yingr a data slate which played the video taken by Galya a few days ago. Yingr watched it carefully and nodded a little.

"I expected as much. This seems to be a more intelligent cult, they've seized the planetary communication relay. They have not started summoning daemons yet." Yingr gestured at the various figures that were there. "They've tried to restore normalcy as fast as possible. Of course they're still fighting the various factions that have formed after this declaration." Kyreg nodded. "I think as this corruption comes from the capital regions and are spreading outwards, it's not as strong as it would've been. Whoever was here fermenting cults have not done a thorough enough of a job but whoever it is, realised it. I think the idea is to keep the loyalist forces busy fighting the cultists and not worry about what they are really planning." Kyreg said to the other legionnaires who were now gathered around. Yingr called for one of his initiates to come over. "Initiate Harvenn here found something you might think important." The Initiate slung his bolter across his chest and ran over, kneeling when he reached the two legionnaires. "Commander. During our patrols around the mountains north of Lorhenge, we found a loyalist position manned by an entire PDF company in full strength." Kyreg looked at the initiate and nodded. "Well done. What can you tell me about them?" "Lord, they seem to be based off of a light infantry patterns. Three platoons and a command platoon. No dedicated heavy weapons platoon. One heavy bolter per platoon, but three stubbers per platoon. No dedicated anti-armour weapons except for a few rocket launchers that individual infantrymen carried. No sniper or marksmen personnel seen. They were armed with autoguns and it seems a full combat load of ammunition." Kyreg nodded at the initiate. "Thoughts, initiate? What do you think of them?" The Initiate paused for a moment before Yingr encouraged him with a nod. "Lord, I believe they are as green as PDF can be. They're green enough that they have only heard of the troubles developing in the capital but have not yet fought anyone. Their commanders however might be guard veterans seeing as how he made his base a hard to attack ridge and the cave system behind it is his command point. I also believe that due to their location, and the space that seems to be in the caverns, they might hold some senior loyalist PDF officers. I don't believe a single company requires enough room for a regimental headquarters." Kyreg looked at Yingr with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Training warmasters now Sergeant?" Yingr only chuckled lightly. "You know the way of the Legion. We must not only train their bodies but their minds. After all, Initiate Harvenn here just might one day be Sergeant Harvenn commanding a strike team." Kyreg nodded and laughed with amusement as Yingr dismissed the scout back to his position.

"It's funny Commander, you realise that the loyalist Astarte chapters train their new initiates in the Scouts as well now? It seems that the Codex that Guilliman wrote states that new Initiates must be trained first in a Scout Company." Yingr mentioned to Kyreg as he placed his helmet back on. "Truly? So the Battle King can copy as well." Kyreg chuckled humourlessly. Yingr nodded slightly. "Did you know the first and only time I met him, he was busy telling Horus how we should be folded up into his Legion and taught how to really fight a war?" Kyreg raised an eyebrow inside his helmet. "And what happened with that Yingr?" The Sergeant shrugged lightly. "Horus tilted his head and Guilliman realised that I was there with my squad waiting to see the Warmaster. He coughed and walked out without looking at us." Kyreg snorted at that part. "Yes, the Ultramarines, the adored of the Imperium. Does the Imperium know that every formation that isn't just charging forward guns blazing with swords drawn at heavy bolters was something that Guilliman copied off of other legions? Look at even his siege troops" Yingr smiled a bit and chortled. "Yes, he put bigger missile launchers on his own terminators and thought they were a match to Perturabos Seige Tyrants. Only Dorns heavy weapons veterans are a match." Kyreg paused as he shrugged. "But it takes a certain level of arrogance my friend to try and copy something that is steeped in their own traditions and cultures, and believe that it can be improved because he is the one to improve it."

"Still, perhaps Guilliman forgot about how effective the reconnaissance squads are in battle but to delegate that role to initiates only? Initiates are trained from scouts in order to master the basics of war and watch how their enemies wage war. You cannot have an entire battle plan based off of a group of untried recruits." Kyreg made a face inside his helmet as he spoke the last part. Yingr sighed softly and nodded. "That is why there are reconnaissance squads Commander, but Guilliman has always thought his word should have been law." Kyreg snorted a little at that. "That's why his barely alive body is kept in stasis on Ultramar and visited by pilgrims." The two chuckled as the other legionnaires looked upon them in amusement.

"I will not keep you any longer old friend. We still cannot deploy Cerberus assets, but I believe the assassin can be of much use to us in this instance. I will head towards the mountains and seek out this PDF company. From you, I require your specialised talents." Kyreg then told the story of what had transpired with the previous PDF unit they had encountered. "That could be an excellent potential truly. Those that are worthy can be indoctrinated rather quickly." Yingr nodded as he thought about the number of civilians and soldiers they had taken and thought about what could be done with them. "Well they won't all be of Galyas calibre." Yingr responded. "No mortal I've ever met has been of Galyas calibre Sergeant." Kyreg smiled and thought about the assassin. He had been there to recover his lost bolter pistol, a piece of memory important to him more so than a true asset of war. It was after all, one of the few original works that had come from the forges of Terra. It was with that pistol he had first been blooded and it was with that pistol that he had learned of the purpose behind his Legion.

 ** _Twenty Years Ago_**

When the Moritat Death Cult had come under attack, Galya and her sister that had been part of the bodyguard for the Master had donned their death masks and drawn their bolt pistols and long swords ready to die and lay their lives on the line for the master. That was until the doors were blown wide open to the ancient sanctum and **_they_** entered. Standing more than eight feet tall and striding through the doors with their cameoline cloaks fluttering behind them, the death cultists had all blanched for a second. It was shocking to see Astartes first hand, especially them, of the infamous Legion.

"Traitors and heretics deserve only death!" Her sister had screamed before charging head first against them. Her blade was aimed right for the soft spot between the jaw and the throat where a single stab would cut right through to the spinal column and render the victim dead. At the last second however, the Astarte drew his exotic blade and cut right through her sister, blade and all. A century old power sword reduced to pieces of metal on the ground while her sister fell apart in two pieces with a scream.

"Traitors? Heretics? Hardly. For all your worship of the Emperor none of you have even seen him. Or walked aside him. On the fields of Ullanor by the order of my Primarch I accompanied the Emperor as part of his Honour Guard. In front of the Custodians stood a single Legionnaire from every Legion. I was beside him as we charged towards the Ork warlord and I was there when Abbadon and the black clad Justaerin terminators charged the flanks. And I was there when Sanguinis led his golden armoured bodyguards to rescue the Emperor and Horus when we were surrounded by xenos. Do not speak to me of treason or heresy. Before your ancestors were even a thought, I had shed my first drop of blood for the Emperor of Man." The Astartes roared out. She would know him later as Commander Kyreg. "But do you wish to speak of heresy? Or treason? It is you. All of you. Those who hold the Emperor in worship. How dare you. The Imperial Truth is what we fought for. What we bled for. It is why the Emperor humbled Lorgar and the Word Bearers by forcing them to kneel in the ashes of Monarchia."

His words stunned her. Could it be, could it be that the Imperial Creed is heresy? She looked at her master questioningly. "My child they are heretics. You cannot believe their words, who are they but those who have turned away from the Emperors light?" Her master said to her as he drew an ancient bolter pistol large enough he needed both hands to carry. "This was a gift of the Emperor, this that we based our worship on. It is said that on Ullanor this was dropped by a warrior dying who received an Ork blade to the chest in defence of the Emperor. This was a true warriors weapon and with it I shall end the traitors!" The ancient master assassin hissed the last words out.

"That bolt pistol belongs to me you scum." The astartes strode forward slowly and laughed at deeply. "I never fell on Ullanor. Why you would even have that, I could only believe that you deal with stolen items, master assassin. Come then, tell her how you got it. Tell her how after that bolt pistol fell out of my hands and a valorous apothecary of the Lunar Wolves tried to save my life as orks and astartes fell around us in equal measure. Tell her what happened to that bolt pistol after it was trampled on by ork nobz, after First Captain Abbadon screamed out in outrage as he was the last standing amongst the fallen Justaerin and the Warmaster struck the blow that would allow the Emperor to use his powers and slay the Warboss."

Galya looked at her Master who clenched his jaws. "That bolt pistol is named Styx, after the River Styx of ancient terran legends. It was forged by the Emperors own forges to those of us the first two thousand that were created. Those of us the Emperor first sent into the shadows. Those of us along with the Rout. The Salamandars. Those of us held aside as the first legions fired their triumphs from the mars forged bolters into the stars and humbled those who would dare stand before humanity." The master assassin aimed the pistol at the astartes and pulled the trigger. However, nothing happened. He checked the magazine and it was fully loaded, and he would pull the trigger again. Nothing.

A deep laugh would sound from the astartes as he led the rest of his similarly attired brothers towards them. "And Styx was built in with the cognitor to differentiate between master. And foe. Why would Styx fire upon me when I am its master, the one it was gifted to. The one it belongs to." At this, the assassin master howled and drew the long blade that was the favoured blade of his cult. Galya could only stare before understanding at a fundamental level that the Marine was right. With a sorrowed sigh, she fired her bolter pistol and put an explosive round into the head of her former master. As the master assassin collapsed onto the ground, she would turn to face the approaching astartes and kneeled. Kyreg had nodded and bade her to stand again. "Honour is done Mistress Assassin. So now what will you do?" Kyreg casually picked up the bolter pistol and locked it at his side. She looked up at him and he would see there was no fear in her eyes. "I shall go wherever you go. I see not defaced acquilas nor signs of the ruinous power. From whom do you descend from? Which legion do you claim parentage? Who are you all?" She would ask him boldly. Kyreg sheathed his blade and undid his helmet, revealing a shaven scalp and a slight stubble around his lips. A single tattoo of a serpent was etched under his left eye. "We are Alpharius."


	5. Chapter 5

**_On the mountain peaks of Snohenge_**

Kyreg had ordered their assault bikes camouflage and left abandoned for now. The mountain peaks were not the terrain for mechanized protocol. With a slight wave of his left hand, the Commander shouldered the stalker combi-bolter and checked the underslung metal gun. Out of all the anti-armour weapons, the melta was perhaps the quietest. A slight hiss was usually the only telling sign of superheated gas and air before something was cut, or melted. The underslung melta had proven itself time and time again, especially as Xythos rarely travelled with large amounts of heavy weapons. No, leave that for Taleon. Their last few precious suits of Cataphractii terminator armour were reserved for use for the heavy weapon veterans of Taleon. It was still rare for the 8th to deploy any of their Terminators. The only true enemies that warranted a Terminator deployment was when the legionnaires had to neutralise a large enemy armour unit. Then Lernaeans were deployed with volkite cannons and power fists that took apart enemy armour.

Activating their stealth field around themselves, the members of Xythos moved slowly, bit by bit up the mountain paths. They could hurry but intelligence in the region was rather unsure. For Kyreg, this was a fact finding mission as well as simply trying to locate the loyalist infantry company here. As they climbed further up, the weather steadily got colder. Of course it mattered little to the superhuman warriors that moved up the mountain trails but it made Kyreg wonder how the mortal soldiers were holding on. Perhaps they would climb the mountain only to find frozen corpses. Shrugging the thought from his head, he gestured for a quick stop, the other legionnaires each taking a knee in a small circle facing outwards, their bolters ready to address any threat that came into their fire lanes. "Something the matter Commander?" Ulyr asked over the vox. Ulyr was the unofficial second in command of Xythos, something which had been earned over millenniums of service. "Perhaps. A question which has been bothering me. Where are the traitor marines? We saw their battle barge in orbit. Yet we have not encountered any yet. Nor has any of our assets." Kyreg responded before unlocking his helmet and removing it for a second, breathing in the cold mountain air. He had been born on Terra near the Ural mountains, and he always had a nostalgic appreciation of cold mountain air. Ulyr shrugged before responding. "Perhaps we have not yet seen them because they have not deployed yet. Why deploy and risk yourself when you have possibly hundreds of thousands of cultists at your beck and call?" It was Thobor who answered this question. "You are thinking too much like an Emperors Legionnaire, brother. The question to ask is why have they not come onto the surface yet and begin the rituals which often accompany any of the ruinous powers?" "Because they have not yet found what they are looking for." Added in Mytis. The Apothecary did not wear any white like many of his ilk did in other legions. He was an Apothecary second, but a strike legionnaire first.

Kyreg set his helmet back on his head again and nodded. "The hospitaller is correct. I believe they are looking for something on this planet. Something that will allow them to gain power. For now though, we can only address this mission one and a time, we do not have the luxury of multiple strike squads." The Xythos legionnaires nodded and as one, they progressed up higher the mountain.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

The thunderhawk landed slowly in front of the Governors palace. Governor Adriana stood out front, her eyes shadowed in gaudy make up unlike the dignified image she had represented previously. Her lips were blood red and in a crazed grin as did the white uniformed members of her honour guard behind her. The ramp opened and descended a full squad of ten astartes in gold trimmed white power armour, the symbols of Slaanesh laser etched in rich purple ink onto pauldrons and breastplates. From behind them came the one she had been praying for, the one she had been waiting to finally see. The voice that had been haunting her nightmares. It was him!

Consul Viprus walked slowly down the ramp and sighed softly. Instead of paying any attention to his honour guard, he eyed the woman standing there and smiled lightly. "I am here to claim my world in the name of the dark prince!" The mortals facing him all went to their knees and bowed deeply. With a rich laughter, he would exit the ramp and step on solid ground. "Please, get up off the ground. The heat of the concrete will dry your skin. Look upon me, surely that is what you deserve for handing me a planet is it not?" The mortals stood up and looked at him, some crying at the perfect beauty that was his face. Others simply passing out as they were unable to stare at a Slaanesh blessed face of a superhuman astartes without their body simply giving up on them. From behind the corrupted Astarte came a troupe of females in power armour. Their power armour was dark purple, holding power weapons as well as chained blades and bolters in their armoured gauntlets. Their leader has a cruel smile on her face, words in an unholy language tattooed over her face in bright blood red as her skin was almost as pale as snow.

"Blade Mistress.. you know your commission." Alexana nodded only once. With a graceful strut, she would walk towards the Governor as her reavers followed her. "Come with me Governor. We have much plans for you.." She purred as her sisters picked up Adrianna by her arms and began carrying her back into the Thunderhawk. Viprus sighed again and looked around. Seeing the look on his lords face, his Equerry, an unhelmed astartes with silver hair slicked back on his head with closely shaven sides gestured with a wave of his sword and a series of slaves led by Oratihr the former dark elf Hekatrix proceeded towards the standing Consul. With a serving plate in her hands, the wych held the tall glass decanter and a long stemmed crystal glass towards the Astarte Consul. Viprus took the glass and drank deep from it, a light pink liquid inside the glass. "Well my lady, I'm humbled you would be so kind as to offer refreshments." Viprus smirked at the dark elf. Oratihr had a look of murder in her eyes and didn't bother responding. With a light laugh, Viprus placed the now empty glass on the plate. "I find it wonderful that the chef can distill such delicate flavours from simple summer berries. I am impressed. Give him my compliments will you?" With that, Viprus proceeded along with his honour guard into the governors palace. His equerry followed behind him, forcing Oratihr forwad with a light tap of his blade against his armoured leg.

The white armoured marine waited a few moments as a large group of slaves carried in a large amply cushioned chair large enough to hold the weight of power armour before sitting down and sighing. In a few moments, his ever efficient equerry had the small mortal sized furniture replaced in the large banquet room of the palace. "I have to say for a backwater planet their decorator is quite nicely put together, don't you agree Aristotles?" Oratihr was forced to stand next to him with the serving plate, while his equerry answered in between giving directions to the menials. "My Lord, I believe that we have artisans on board who can make this more to your liking." Viprus nodded absentmindedly. "Still, I'm pleased to see that I won't have to change too too much here. The wallpaper is a nice delicate shade of cream.. at least just the furniture will need to be replace." His equerry nodded and bowed. "By your wish Lord."

In a few moments, Captain Persedeus entered the room with his bolter clamped to his side. "Consul, the mortals still have not yet found the relic." Viprus only nodded once. "That is to be expected Captain. Now that we are on the planet, perhaps they can be motivated to look a bit.. harder. As if their life depended on it, one could say." His Captain grinned, a cruel smile on a beatific sanguine face and bowed, before exiting. Looking at a small list with a light pout on his face, Viprus nodded once more to himself, before calling for a member of his honour guard. "This displeases me. The fact that there are still worshippers of the corpse god around. I want immediate action, send forces to suppress their positions." The honour guard bowed deeply before exiting the room to do as bidden.

The order was sent out and a few hours later, the newly named Bloodsworn former PDF soldiers were marshalled. The largest group of resistance it seemed was further west, where the 10th and 11th Companies were held up in a defensive position around a PDF command center. That is where entire companies of Bloodsworn were marshalled and put on trucks to head out there. Galya saw the orders as she had to type them up. A traitor marine had walked into the Generals office a few hours ago and gave the order. The General, a true brown nose had bowed on his knees, almost delirious and nodding furiously. He seemed distracted enough that he hadn't even tried to look down her blouse at all before ordering her to type up the order and send it to the Bloodsworn units he had designated. Her glasses pictocapturer had taken down the image of the traitor marine as well as the orders that she has typed up and sent. Waiting as she saw a list of confirmations from the various lesser commands that controlled the Bloodsworn units, she politely knocked on the Generals door. "Sir, the orders have been given and confirmations have been received." The General nodded and smiled. "Excellent work my dear. Now please send a message to my life and tell her I will be late working tonight. And then book me an appointment at the Lounge for uh.. a meeting." She nodded and went back to her desk, shaking her head internally. The Lounge was a pleasureclub which served dinner as well as having a menu for the other appetites.

She sighed softly before calling the Generals residence. His wife, a middle aged woman with multiple rejuvenat treatments answered the phone although the voice of a few others could be heard indulging in certain activities. "Hi this is Suzanne from the Generals office. The General will be late tonight due to various meetings." The woman would chuckle a little. "Oh be a dear and tell him not to worry, to be as late as he wishes. I have to get back to my guests now." Galya hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. Sometimes she wondered if it was people like this that she had really fought for as part of the Death Cults and what the Emperor would think if he was to see them now. Regardless, after hanging up the phone, she would send a quick report to the cognitor address through encrypted signals and poured herself a large mug of recaff.

 ** _A day later_**

 ****Kyreg had received an encrypted message from Mordin. Opening it, he saw that the loyalist positions had been marked on a map as well as approaching PDF units. The former PDF units have now named themselves the Bloodsworn. He hesitated to really think too deeply about what sort of ritual had been done on their part to be renamed the Bloodsworn but for all he know, it could simply be mortal bravado. It seems that the green unit were soon to become veterans. Hijacked vox communications had marked these men out as the "Lucky" 13th Company, a light infantry company that specialised in mountain warfare. That came as no surprise seeing as from the observation Xythos had already done towards them, they did seem quite adept at surviving in the hostile conditions. Every trench had a small burner in there to brew recaf as well as provide heat. To keep heat loss at a minimum, white and grey camouflage netting had been placed over the trench openings with the stub guns mounted slightly forward of the actual trench on firing steps. Well drilled of course, but that hardly proved veteran status. There were multiple trench lines dug in support of each other and the command platoon seemed to at least have a few soldiers in carapace armour with las rifles. Elite status perhaps, or it could have been augmentations from other units that had stuck with them.

Xythos was currently half buried in a snow drift south east of the loyalist defensive positions, only about a hundred meters away or so, their active camouflage hiding them quite easily amongst the other piles of mountain rocks and snow. Kyreg checked his helmet data feed again, and saw that Yingr had acknowledged it. Lefias had not but Mordin was with him in the Legion station so that hardly meant anything. Besides, the havoc veteran rarely acknowledged anything even though he read them all. So, the enemy was finally being organized and there were finally traitor Astartes on the planet. Killing mortals was no challenge, but another Astarte? That was what separated a Space Marine from a Legionnaire. He gave the order to ready weapons. Suppressors were checked one last time, in this kind of warfare his Legion was supreme. Even the brothers of the Ravens could hardly contest that fact. For the legionnaires around him, the slaughter of the Chaos reavers earlier were hardly true tests of strength, especially since they had the handy xenos rail rifles which made even terminator armour barely adequate as protection.

 ** _Weshenge_**

Rythor glanced over at the positions Gungnir held. Denlow and Brachus each held their Astartes sniper rifles in their hands as his apothecary Mychil was crouched behind a small rock with his stalker bolter readied. He smiled inside his helmet, Mychil and Mytis were twins, a little known fact as Mychil rarely took his helmet off and Mytis was one of those who had the face of his primarch. But before their initiation into the Legion, they were twins who were singled out and marked as potential future headhunters. Of course they had both ended up in different units but worked excellently together. The veteran Sergeant looked back at the small battlefield that was happening in front of them. He had received the same message as Kyreg, the only difference was he had led his squad to the western plains of the capital city and headed further west until they had travelled into a small town that was abandoned except for a loyalist PDF unit that had dug itself into the town and was currently fighting off an attack by one of these Bloodsworn formations.

The Bloodsworn formations seemed mostly to just be a multitude of soldiers in white fatigues of some sort while being led by officers dressed in hideously out of place elaborate white dress uniforms with gold braids and all sorts of gaudy decorations on their person. Of course the real interest was the six traitor Astartes behind them pushing them forward. The loyalist units had fired back with disciplined clatters of autogun and stub gun fire while the Bloodsworn mostly fired their autoguns on full auto while charging. So far, the loyalists seemed to have a better grasp of tactics and were rather stubbornly dug in. Rythor tuned into their vox channels just to listen.

"Hold the heavy bolter fire until I say so Sergeant. Yes, I know we'll need to resupply the forward positions soon but seeing as how we lack any Chimeras to resupply the forward positions, 5th platoon will just have to carry them forward one by one." That was the commander, a Colonel Eli Strathworth who seemed to be more than just a PDF officer. "Yes Sir, but 5th platoon can only carry so much. It'll take them an hour to resupply the entire company on foot." Sergeant Art Harris was a steady a NCO as they were going to find in the generally untested PDF. A loud sigh can be heard over the vox as the Colonel responded. "I know Art, but what else can we do but our Emperor expected duty at this point?" The Sergeant paused before responding. "I.. the Emperor protects sir." Their defensive position was holding just fine but it was only a matter of time before firing positions ran out of ammunition. Especially now as it seemed the Astartes would be advancing as well.

The six Astartes wore elaborate white armour with purple and gold leaf trims. Each was holding an ornate bolter in their hands while they each carried chainswords with golden wings decorating the handle. They seemed to be staring out at the loyalist positions, ignoring the auto rounds that would bounce off their thick ceramite armour. "Do you know why we wear white armour, loyalists? It is because our armour is a canvas that will be painted with your blood!" The voice was a horrid mixture between a screech and the soft voice of a spoken word poet. A few loyalist soldiers covered their ears at such a horrible sound.

With another loud screech from their external speakers, the six Astartes charged. Nothing the loyalists had were powerful enough to really cut through their armour, except for maybe the heavy bolters and the anti-tank rockets. At that distance, the Astartes easily dodged the rockets fired at them and screeched their battle lust into the air while the first line of troops could only hold their bleeding ears defencelessly.

"Heavy bolters, open up on them. It's the only chance we've got Emperor damn it." The Colonel called over the radio. A few seconds after, the precious Heavy bolters dug into the Imperial lines opened up. Three of the heavy bolters caught one of the Astartes in a crossfire and the Astarte went down as he was blown to bits by dozens of large calibre rounds with a screech of satisfaction it seemed which only shake the loyalist defenders more. "This prey has some life left to it. So be it brothers let us pick them apart and we shall feast of their blood!" The remaining Astartes began firing, the loud booms of the mass reactive bolt rounds stitching through the Imperial lines and blowing up humans into massive chunks of gore and flesh.

"Brachus, Denlow. Select your targets, but hold fire. Mychil, select your target as well." Rythor himself targeted one of the Astartes firing from his bolter, putting the crosshair just a bit over the armoured gorge of the Astartes. By now, the Astartes had reloaded and had bounded into the defenders trench lines. Whether it was arrogance or bloodlust, Rythor watched as his target took off his helmet and picked up a human defender and bit into his neck, drinking deeply of his blood.

"Vampires! They're bloody vampires!" A stub gunner screamed out right before he was picked up and had his throat ripped open by sharpened fangs and his lifeblood emptied into the awaiting maul of the traitor Astarte. Rythor scanned the battle line quickly and saw that the Angels Evermore were in the trench line and gave the order to fire. Brachus fired a round right into the skull of one of them, dropping him into the trench as the cainite bolt round essentially detonated the traitors skull. Denlows round travelled right into the section where the spinal column met the brain stem, the melta cap easily cutting right through the helmet seal while the mutagenic acid was pushed into the lower brain stem, his target simply collapsing into the trench line even as his body twitched for a moment, freezing his face in mid screech. Mychil put a three round burst into the side of his target, the target turning sideways and screeching as the rounds had penetrated but only destroyed the traitors digestive organs. As the traitor picked up another loyalist in vengeance and prepared to drink his blood, the apothecary fired one more time and this time the three round burst landed right into the traitors lower jaw and face, collapsing him on top of the soldier he had picked up while Rythor had simply punched two rounds into his targets jawline, the rounds detonating their acid payload inside his skull eliciting a roar of pain before he collapsed down as well, the loyalists nearby spraying their autoguns into what remained of his mouth and neck to keep the marine down.

The last marine met his fate as a soldier with tears in his eyes and voided bowels fired a rocket point blank into his chest plate. The rocket failed to detonate as the soldier was picked up and had his neck ripped open and drank from but a pinpoint shot by Brachus detonated the melta charge inside and the traitor was essentially melted from the inside out, his limbs flying out as the only remains of his torso were ashes scattering in the trench line.

The loyalists were shocked, they believed that they had by luck taken down the traitors and cheered as they moved forward to re-occupy defensive lines that were broken from the marines assault. Seeing this, the Bloodsworn began retreating back towards their own lines as most of them had followed the Astartes assault but the loyalists trench lines had erupted in a blast of autogun fire and stubber fire mowing down by the dozens the Bloodsworn lines.

Rythor smiled a little underneath his helmet as he watched the loyalists advanced and in a few minutes, chase down the retreating traitors and cut them apart in a mixture of bayonet and autogun fire. "Seems like we can call this a day eh Sergeant." Mychil said to him through the squad vox and the Sergeant chuckled. "Well they have spirit. That much is true but if we were not here, they would have been cut down to a man and become bloodbags for the traitors." Mychil had curled his hand in disgust at the way the traitors had drank from the loyalists but that was why it took him the most rounds to take down his target. "Watch your aim Apothecary, your anger is no reason to waste three extra bolter rounds." The Apothecary bowed his head in apology. "I know why you are upset Mychil, but don't forget that it is not only traitors who do the same." The rest of his squad all nodded in remembrance.

Shameful as it had been, some of the sons of the Great Angel had taken to a particular method of treatment to deal with the flaw that was common amongst the Blood Angels geneseed; imbibing of blood cut down these urges and allowed them to function as Astartes of the Imperium. But the price was always paid in blood. Whether by willing serfs or by those kidnapped forcefully, it was a hidden source of shame amongst the IX legion and its successors. Gungnir squad had once seen this as they fought to fulfil an ancient oath between what was the 8th Great Company of the Blood Angels and the 4th Harrow of the Legion. Of course now it was the 8th Company of the Blood Angel chapter so Rythor and his legionnaires had hidden in the mist of a small woodland grove where the Blood Angels had fought an ork incursion into the village. The aftermath was brutal. Instead of accepting the various offerings of the village, the Blood Angels had simply taken a large number of them, and told them that they were destined for the stars. However once the Angels had taken them into the woods, they had ritually bled them and drank from them to fight off the red thirst. In disgust, Rythor had ordered his men to leave, the Blood Angels had not known they were there with sniper rifles to cover the Blood Angels attack, and he had no more desire to remain seeing the formerly magnificent legacy of the IX legion be tarnished by these acts he had witnessed.

Mychil had taken it the hardest perhaps, even the hypnodoctrination had not been strong enough to suppress the disgust felt by the Apothecary. Perhaps it was the sanctity which Apothecaries regarded gene seeds. Perhaps it was a revulsion at the solution that was being used by those he had once regarded as brothers. It was unknown but something that Rythor had to remember to keep under control.

"Well, at least we know for a fact that these are the Angels Evermore." Denlow piped in. The marksman was one of the youngest ones that were part of Gungnir. He lacked the same experience as many of the 8th as he was only an initiate during the time of the Heresy and had been pressed into the role of a battle brother earlier than intended. In those days, any initiates that were fully gene seeded were pressed into any available power armour and sent out with the strike teams. Of course the experiences of the Great Scouring after had hardened him but he was still in many ways a pup compared to those of Rythors age.

Rythor nodded and gestured for Gungnir to move. It was obvious that the loyalist would not survive their next battle with Astartes, and it was a shame as they fought bravely. But they had a different objective. There was a starport further west that had to be destroyed, it could not be allowed for the traitors to have such a large logistics facility to use, especially when they had an entire battle barge of who knows what inside. If the Angels Evermore were allowed to bring their full strength onto the planet, it was not a battle that the 8th could win.

 ** _One day earlier_**

His helmet display clicked as a priority transmission came through. He blinked his right eye at the message and it began to play.

"Sergeant, information from our assets. It was overheard that the traitors are having issues offloading their troops large scale, they apparently lack sufficient combat transport vessels so only a few Thunderhawks are available to them. Even then, it seems the Thunderhawks were reserved for the command elements. The only starport large enough to support the civilian transport vessels the traitors have commandeered are far west past the great plains of Weshenge. There is a starport there used for large scale shipping, as it is the only section where there is a large enough of a hole through the planets desert shell for ships to fit through. It must be neutralised. Coordinates have been uploaded to your mission cognitor." The message had come from Mordin, the trusty techpriest. Rythor understood the scale required of such a mission and had begun to prepare Gungnir.

 ** _Present_**

The four legionnaires moved silently through the small rolling hills that adorned the western side of the continent, their active camouflages on to avoid detection. This was what Gungnir specialised in, hard targets far behind enemy lines. A plan had already formed in his head. The actual starports required the massive platforms to operate and he knew that there had to be at least one SDF vessel there. SDF vessels were generally not as well equipped as Imperial Navy fleets unless you were on Ultramar, which meant much less plasma torpedos and a lot more macrocannons.

A few hours later, they could see the blinking lights of the starport up ahead and Rythor gave the signal for a quick stop. From the small river in the woodland that they had approached by, they could see that it was clearly in the traitors hands. Patrols of Bloodsworn walked around the starport and sandbags had already been built in with heavy bolters and stubguns mounted on. Of course this just meant it was challenge for those of Gungnir squad. Sniper rifles were maglocked to backpacks and bolter pistols were drawn. Suppressors were screwed on tightly and the single ten round magazine was changed out for large capacity drum magazines. Power daggers were drawn as well and Rythor smiled at his teams efficiency. Gungnir circled around the starport slowly, and just as Rythor predicted, there was a SDF cruiser there. It was being re-equipped it seems, with ammunition and supplies being loaded on. The Sergeant led Gungnir through a small gap in fences, bent slowly by power armoured hands to fit before being bent back into shape slowly. Each legionnaire covered the other as they slowly moved through the loading area around the shipping containers. For a second the Sergeant thought he could hear something and gestured a full stop, each legionnaire dropping down to a crouch and let the active camouflage solidify for a second. A patrol walked past talking with themselves a few seconds later.

"Come on Joe, you're lying about Mirriam. She's a bloody saint, why would she be going around the barracks huh?" The first soldier asked. "Who cares why, thanks to Slaanesh we can finally have our fill of the women here." Another one chimed in. "Well now they're just offering themselves up now, it's bloody nice." Rythor grinned soundlessly inside his helmet. Chaos worshippers or not, mortal soldiers will still be mortal soldiers. With a gesture, got up and moved towards the road where the soldiers had travelled down and took a look. The patrol was steadily heading over further south. The cruiser was still docked Rythor could feel the plan forming and the details coming together in his head. It was a straight forward simple plan that required precision execution.

Rythor almost moved ahead when he heard a vehicle and ordered his men to drop once again. As the active camouflage solidified, a large truck drove past the road with a full squad of soldiers sitting in the back. Reinforcements? He followed the trucks progress down the road and nodded to himself. It seemed they were being loaded onto the cruiser as well. With a gesture, he once again led his squad closer towards the cruiser. So far so good, no one they needed to silence. The middle of the starport was quite busy, and they circled around it moving through a section where multiple vehicles were parked, waiting perhaps to be loaded. The squad was about to move past the vehicles when a few vehicle headlights could be seen headed their way. Cursing to himself, he gave a quick gesture through his left hand and the squad as one rolled underneath the vehicles and kept still. The vehicles stopped in front of the parked vehicles and voices could be heard.

"Alright, park those there, and then you, you, and you, you're coming with me. Rest of ya, dismissed. Don't have too much fun at the pleasure tents now, you're still on duty tomorrow morning." A series of acknowledgement came from the human soldiers and the ones dismissed quickly walked off, eager perhaps to head towards the pleasure tents. The others grumbled and vehicles were parked, some next to the ones where the legionnaires were hiding under. "Ugh, fucking vehicle guard. That's bullshit man. The fuck did we do to Leison?" One of the grumblers asked his companions. "We did nothing. You were the one shagging up to Leison's son." The first soldier seemed to laugh at this. "He's a Slaaneshi priest. Surely that's the point isn't it? If we can't enjoy ourselves why did we swear allegiance to the Governor?" "Well speak for yourself, I don't find my eye wandering towards the priests. I like the priestesses." The second soldier answered. The third soldier chimed in at this point. "They're all tempting quite frankly." Rythor sighed internally, he was glad at moments like this that his urges were completely nulled by the gene seeding process.

"On my mark." He whispered into his helmet and the others all blipped their vox in acknowledgement. It seemed like they would be stuck here unless they got rid of the guards. Reaching out, he would lightly tap the side of the truck and readied his suppressed bolter. "The hell was that?" "Go check it. It's probably something falling off the truck again, these damn things are older than I am." One of the soldiers wandered over in between the parked trucks and looked around. Instead of wandering to where Rythor was, he began to walk behind the vehicles towards where Bachus was. As the soldier looked down to peek underneath the truck, Bachus grabbed him by the face, his armoured hand covering his mouth and smashed the bolt pistol into the mans forehead. As the man limped, Bachus quietly snapped his neck just to be sure and dragged his body underneath the truck. Rythor saw this from underneath one of the other vehicles and shook his head a little. "Denlow, with me." He whispered into his vox and rolled slowly out of the underside of the vehicle. The two of them quietly moved around in half crouches to where the two soldiers were standing.

"Taking him a long time to check a truck." One of the soldiers said. The other shrugged and puffed on his llho stick. "The frakhead has probably gone to take a leak too. Who knows." Denlow moved slowly towards the vehicle behind the two while Rythor lined up his shot. He had both their heads lined up and fired a single bolt. The bolt punched through the first soldiers head, the melta cap detonating when it hit the bone of the second soldiers skull, a quiet hiss as the melta charge ashed his brains while Denlow reached out and grabbed both corpses before they could drop to the ground, and maybe trigger something.

Denlow hid the corpses in the back of one of the trucks, as Brachus arranged his corpse to be stuck inbetween the underside of the truck and the trucks drive shaft and struts. Rythor waited for them to finish before he began to lead Gungnir towards the other side of the starport. Now that they were forced to eliminate enemy troops, it was a countdown as to when the bodies were found. Mychil had stuck a primed venom sphere underneath the bodies. Anyone who moved them would immediately be silenced by multiple toxic shards being blasted outwards.

Moving carefully using the various buildings and structures as cover, Rythor finally was able to hide underneath the large platform that the cruiser was docked at. He looked up towards the opening and gestured towards his squad. Clamping their weapons onto their armour, they began to climb. There were many metal handles on the side for maintenance of different classes, and the legionnaires slowly climbed up on it. Almost half an hour later, they arrived at the top, just underneath the side of the maintenance platform and looked up. There was an entire squad of soldiers on board and Rythor breathed deeply as he examined them. Like each of his fellow legionnaires, their suits had been heavily modified for stealth operations. It included on a camera that fed directly to their helmets on the ends of their pinky fingers on their gauntlets. It seemed that this was going to have to get bloody. Unless. He climbed down a few steps and shouldered his bolter, and scanned through the targeter on it. There. A few small stratospheric vessels were being refuelled from a tanker truck. He grinned and gave the orders. Denlow climbed up towards him as he clamped his bolter back onto his armour and reached out to grab a tight hold on the handle on Denlows backpack. Denlow retrieved his sniper rifle, only his armoured boots still remaining on the handles, relying on Rythors hand to keep him steady. Leaning out a little, the marksmen shouldered his sniper rifle and put the crosshair on the target, the targeters auto compensator adjusting the crosshairs for distance. He fired a single bolt round with a soft cough from the long barrel rifle, and the tanker truck exploded, the fuel lines lighting up and taking the other vessels with it. Soon voices could be heard shouting up ahead. "Frak are we under attack?" "No, I didn't hear any shots. Must be the idiot refueling the jets, he didn't ground the tanker. I guarantee you that, I bet you a months pay on that. We'll find him texting away on his tablet again." The soldiers muttered as firefighting crews rushed towards the source of the blaze.

Denlow quietly clamped his sniper rifle back up against his back powerpack and gripped onto the railings again, Rythor letting go of the handle and peeking over with his pinkie camera again. The soldiers were now all too busy staring at the explosion and Gungnir quietly made their way through the entrance of the cruiser.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 6_**

Rythor slowly moved them in through the entrance after they had snuck past the sentries out front who were too distracted by the fire suppression crews that were now trying to put out a few hundred gallons of extremely on fire fuel. The rest of Gungnir moved slowly with him, each legionnaire keeping their movements slow so as to allow the active camouflage to have its maximum efficiency. Rythor and Mychil had both maglocked their stalker bolters back onto their armour and drawn their suppressed bolt pistols as well, armour penetrating Kraken rounds loaded into their bolt pistols for maximum firepower in a pistol.

A quick blip over the vox had the entire squad duck onto their knees and press themselves against the wall. Bachus had signalled for a contact, the legionnaire keeping his helmet optics to prey sight. Rythor quickly did the same and saw that a small group of heat signatures along with a much larger one was heading their way, the hallway they were in surrounded by a few small vents and a large space up ahead where the pipes and other tubing for the cruiser lay. The heat signatures were just around the corner so the squad moved quickly. Activating a magnetic feature on their armoured gauntlets, they quickly climbed onto different sections of the ceiling spacing, the active camouflage melding in just in time to see a white armoured Astartes of the Angels Evermore march a few mortals dressed in coveralls with grease stains out. Rythor quickly marked the traitor marine as the primary threat, the mortals didn't seem to have any communication equipment on them other than tools.

"Bachus." Rythor quietly whispered. The marksman had his suppressed bolt pistol extended and aimed carefully before pulling the trigger. The suppresser spat out a three round burst of kraken penetrator bolt into the back of the marines armoured helmet, dropping him without even giving him a chance to gasp or roar. The thud caused the other mortals to turn around and one of them almost screamed before Mychil dropped down and grabbed the mortal by his mouth and clamped it shut. In doing so, he revealed himself in the blackshield coloured power armour he wore. "Emperors mercy.. it's his Angels.." One of them muttered as he stared at the apothecary. "Hold fire." Rythor quickly voxed. The way the man muttered his words and the way the other mortal made the sign of the Aquila gave him pause. Rythor would give the order to clean up. The traitor Astartes body would be carried up and shoved in between the various piping to hide him, with his bolter mags taken from him. The others, they would quickly grab with armoured gauntlets clamped over their mouths and taken with them. Rythor was the only one who had his hands free and led them further down the hall, keeping prey sight on.

After a few minutes, he spotted an opening on the hallway and checked it quickly, before entering with his bolt pistol raised. It was a storage room it seemed and was quite large, holding about four dozen boxes of things such as extra batteries and the like. Rythor gave a nod and reached onto his backpack, retrieving three skull probes and released them. The probes were programmed to remain out of sight with stealth fields active, and provided much needed surveillance. The probes would exit the room and begin snaking around the cruiser through the high ceilings while Rythor gave the nod to release the humans. The three of them, two men and a woman looked at the four legionnaires with not just a bit of fear but also awe.

"From what you said mortal, are you loyal to the Emperor and the Golden Throne on Holy Terra?" Rythor asked, while behind him the other legionnaires had power daggers drawn. The first man nodded and made the sign of the Aquila. "Lord, I am Shipmate First Class Laurence Stibborn. This is Engineer Second Class Roy Thomson and Petty Officer Sarai Timbers. We are.. captives. Unwillingly forced to operate this ship while this madness around us brought traitor Astartes and the ruinous powers." The other two mortals nodded, the Petty Officer seemed the most shook up by this. Rythor looked at them for a moment. His sensors stated that all three of them were showing the biological responses to telling the truth.

"Why should I believe that? You are found on a traitors ship walking along with a traitor Astartes." Rythor asked the three. The Petty Officer shakily spoke up. "My Lord, I don't know how to make you believe us. We remain loyal to the Golden Throne and the God Emperor of Man." Rythor glanced over at the apothecary who gave small nod before reaching into his medical pouch and producing a syringe. He gave each of them a third of the dose that was already loaded into it, the three falling down for a moment, choking momentarily before the effect seemed to wear down. "Truth serum. Now I ask you again. Are you loyal to the Emperor and the Golden Throne?" The Sergeant looked at the three of them. "Yes Lord we are." They answered as one. No effect could be seen on their bodies. He nodded and asked another question. "What are you three doing on the ship?" The Engineer answered this time. "The cruiser is resupplying, it's made to be refit. Right now it can only carry humans so some sections need to be made higher for the traitor marines. Also multiple parts of the engine need to be repaired. As well, the hydraulics for the launch bays do not work properly so that needs to be repaired as well." No lie, still. If they had lied, their nerves would be on fire right now. "What about the cannons?" Rythor looked at the three of them. "Lord, the cannons are operational but the shells have only been partially loaded. It's only carrying a quarter compliment right now, the reserve magazine only." The Petty Officer answered.

"Good. The three of you will be accompanying me. Denlow, watch over them. Which way to the bridge?" The Sergeant checked his bolt pistol as he asked the question. "The quickest way is to keep going the direction you were already going, and then when you get to the end of it, head straight left and go to the elevator. The elevator opens directly on the bridge." The Shipmate answered this time while nervously glancing around.

"Good. You will lead us there." The veteran Sergeant announced before gesturing for his squad to follow him. This was the time for deception. "You will lead and we will follow. You may not see us but we will be there. Understood? Any sign of faltering, or betrayal and we will end you." The three nodded and Rythor gestured for them to go ahead. He had checked the servo skulls, no real activity. Some menials walking around here and there but no other Astartes seen for now.

As the three mortals walked ahead, Gungnir followed them with their active camouflage on once again. Once they had gotten to the end of the hallway, there were quite a few other crew members all around being uniformed members of the Bloodsworn shoving them to where they needed to be. As they got closer to the bridge, Rythor would send his skull probes closer, the small cloaked servitors sending its information via a live video feed into Rythor and the other Gungnir members helmet feeds. Instead of the elevator, they took the stairs as it was much easier in terms of space to get up there and once they exited the stairs, the elevator would open to reveal another traitor Astarte who stepped out and looked at the three mortals.

"What are you doing here, wretched dogs. Were you not meant to go check on the engine bay? And where is Brother Dienesces." As the mortals looked at him and blanched for a second, Rythors bolter coughed a three round burst into the Astartes helmet, sending him collapsed onto the ground. "Alright, we storm the bridge now." The four legionnaires stacked up on the bridge entrance and prepared their weapons. At a single vox command, the four of them stormed into the bridge with their bolter pistols out, firing at those who carried a weapon. White uniformed Bloodsworn soldiers died as an entire dozen of them went down in the first few seconds. However a blast of bolter rounds quickly forced the squad to take cover. Rythor swore, as he had no way of getting a skull probe through to the bridge but he wished now that he had tried to find a way. Standing next to the command throne was a 10 foot tall armoured giant in all white armour. "Enemy terminator. Find cover now." Even though the warning was pointless as the armoured giant simply laughed through its speakers and fired a long burst from his storm bolter, a long hammer clutched in his left hand.

"We're blown. Go loud." The Sergeant ordered as he clamped his bolt pistol at his thigh and picked up his stalker bolter, checking the meltagun slung underneath. Mychil fired a long burst at the terminator, the Cainite rounds causing multiple holes to appear in the armour but no penetration. The light green acid hissed for a moment as they only managed to etch the tactical dreadnought armour, the tank like armour holding against the primarily anti-personnel ammunition.

"Re-position." Rythor hissed the order as he tossed a krak grenade into the room. As the four retreated, the mortals hiding behind a blast door with their eyes open caught a sight of the freshly singed terminator exiting the hallway. "Come loyalist, come see combat perfected." The krak grenade only managed to blast a small chunk of armour off the traitor terminator. Rythor who was hiding in the corner with his active camouflage on move quietly to almost point blank range and fired the meltagun point blank, triggering it three times against the traitor terminators limbs but the melta lacked the full power and barrel of a real melta gun. The terminator simply turned and smashed his stormbolter into the Sergeants chest, sending him sprawling against a wall.

Rythor could taste blood as he watched the terminator raise his stormbolter and pull the trigger. However, a loud crack sent the burst of bolter shells high over him. Down the hall, Denlow had his sniper rifle out and had just sent a high powered round into the terminators elbow joint. Thanks to the melta blasts from earlier, the joint now locked and the terminator growled in frustration. The rest of the squad opened fire as well, multiple cainite rounds smashing into the armoured giant, and while most of it had little effect on the almost one foot thick of armour on his breastplate, the rounds destroyed elbow and joint servos. Struggling up, Rythors helmet were beeping at him of multiple injuries in his body. Coughing a few times, he could barely hold himself up. The terminator growled at him and began to move slowly towards him but the veteran Sergeant took aim and sent aimed shots through to the terminators leg servos, the servos shutting down as the blast from the multiple melta caps finally froze his lower movements for good. Down the hall, the two marksmen carefully lined up their shots and fired one after the other. The first round took out one of the crystal eye holes, while the second round blew the traitor terminators brains out, the helmet keeping his brains inside still as he just froze, his life gone while the armour held him up still.

Mychil rushed to Rythors side and quickly injected him with combat pain killers and another chemical that would send his legionnaire biology into overdrive, multiple internal bleeds clotting in seconds as the combat pain killers narcotics and combat stimms had the Sergeant gasping. By now the alarm had been sounded as the terminator had reported it in. One of Rythors skull probes was sending him images of Bloodsworn troops rushing towards the cruiser. "Lift it off, NOW" The Sergeant roared out as he pointed his stalker bolter at the mortals there. Unsure of what to do, one of them stepped forward only to be knocked down with a burst of autopistol fire. The legionnaires all turned and saw that the Petty Officer was there grimly holding an autopistol. "There are loyalists here Lord, and traitors. Permission to execute the traitors?" Rythor nodded as some of the crew snarled and started to try and rush Gungnir and the three loyalists. Sarai started firing at the crew members that she knew to be traitors while Gungnir stepped in as well. Wielding power daggers, the snarling crew members were picked up and efficiently stabbed through just under their rib cages and upwards towards their hearts and lungs, broken bodies soon littering the floor.

"They're our salvation and our prayers come true. In the name of the Emperor lift this cruiser up!" The Shipmate called out and the remaining crew quickly began activating the cruiser seeing that the legionnaires were not simply another chaos warband. As the ship began to lift off slowly, one of the crew members called out from the console. "Lord Astartes, we have intruders heading towards the bridge." Rythor took one look through his skull probes and nodded. "Take care of them Mychil." The Apothecary nodded and smiled a little before he checked his stalker bolter. "Gladly Brother Sergeant."

He would walk out of the bridge and shouldered the stalker bolter, aiming the electronic sight down the hall. Soon enough the doors to the elevator would open and two traitor Astartes stepped out with a small group of Bloodsworn troops. The traitors growled and opened fire almost immediately with their bolter, forcing Mychil behind a blast door. However, he was not just an apothecary, the 8th did not produce fools. He leaned out briefly just to toss out a smoke grenade and waited for it to fill the halls. However, smoke grenades were never just smoke grenades when it was thrown from hands trained by the Legion.

With his active camouflage on, he carefully moved through the smoke, walking past one of the traitors easily before placing a krak grenade against the Astartes backpack. Ducking back, the Astarte turned and began blind firing but Mychil was already flat on the ground. The primed grenade detonated, the explosion slicing through the Astartes vitals. Reaching forward, he would grab the other Astartes ankle and pulled back, slamming the traitor face down on the ground. A three round burst from his bolter into the traitors helmet ended him. Then looking through his preysight at the human cultist troops, he clamped his bolter and drew something that was carried by every member of Gungnir; a long handled one side power axe. It had a sharp pike end at the back to spike into helmets and the like while the front had a large viciously curved blade. Activating the powerfield around the axe blade, he flew into the mob of human troops rending what was twelve humans into pieces on the hallway floor. "Threat neutralised brother." He would call through the vox. The cruiser it seemed was on maximum burn now and began lifting.

Rythor finally caught his breath, his internal bleeding seemed to have stopped and his body was regulating itself again properly. "Target the shipping platforms. One round each, fire." He growled while the crew began to input targeting information into the ships guns. Then one by one, the guns fired. "Once more. Fire." Pain staking minutes lapped by before one of the crew members finally confirmed; loaded. The batteries fired again, and this time the tall platforms toppled over causing mayhem. "Now get us out of here." He ordered. The crew began working even more and the cruiser slowly began to take off from the atmosphere. A new plan was forming in his head and he smiled a little inside his helmet

"How many of you wish to continue to serve the Emperor?" The Sergeant asked the mortal crewmen who were currently piloting the cruiser towards the atmosphere. They all looked at him questioningly. "If you wish to continue your service to the Emperor, then I will take you all with me. If you do not, then you may remain with the ship."

"I think I speak for everyone, Lord. We all wish to continue our service to the Emperor of Mankind and the Golden Throne on Terra. We are not like our kindred that have all turned to the side of Chaos. We will serve, Lord." The Shipmate said in response. The mortal crewmen all looked at Rythor and nodded. The armoured Sergeant smiled. "Your valour does you credit. Very well, we will take down the enemy cruiser in atmosphere. However, we have much to plan."

A few hours later, the SDF was in atmosphere and its engines were being powered up. It seemed that the traitor battle barge had spotted them and begun to turn to engage them. "All power to the shield. Maximum thrust on engines." Rythor ordered. The legionnaire smiled underneath his helmet as he and his battle brothers looked on.

 ** _Inquisitional Strike Cruiser_**

"My lady, there is something you really need to see." Captain Nemus said as Inquisitor Laneth walked in, accompanied by the ever present Warmaster. She was about to ask him what before blanching for a moment as she saw the SDF cruiser heading towards the Astartes battle barge. "It seems there just might be some loyalty still left on Tythen V." She commented idly and looked on.

"Death in the Emperors Service is its own reward." The Watchmaster stated through his gasmask as he looked on. The Inquisitor nodded at this statement, while many thought the Krieg grenadier to be mindless, his loyalty was iron clad. But he still had the tactical acuity as well as a sharp mind that was the foundation of good NCOs in every Guard regiment.

"Will they make it Captain?" Laneth gestured for a crew member to begin recording what was very well the last mission of the loyalist cruiser. "They just might. They might not kill the battle barge but the battle barge will hardly be in a position to defend the space around Tythen after that either." The experienced former Naval Command officer replied. The battle barge finally completed its turn and had begun targeting the cruiser with its firepower. Plasma cannons, missile launchers as well as macro-las cannons had begun bombarding the cruiser although it's shield held for now. At the last moment however, its void shield flickered slightly showing the amount of damage it had actually taken. Even the battle barges bombardment cannons started firing but the cruiser still headed towards them, even as pieces fell away as the battle barges firepower began to take its toll.

"Emperor on Terra.." Captain Nemus breathed out as the cruiser rammed itself into the bridge of the battle barge, both vessels began crushing itself against each other as multiple explosions could be seen at the point of impact. "The battle barges bridge was just taken out. Command and control is probably down. Anyone capable of keeping it afloat will probably be dead or in the void." The Inquisitor thought out loud. The fact that there might be loyalist still on the planet just made her chances a lot better.

The two warships were deadlocked against each other as it began to fall towards the planet. Neither engines received any orders to thrust one way or the other as there were no more crews to speak of that could affect either vessels. Their bridges had become wreckages of plasteel and ceramite, the two locked together vessels now massive coffins for its occupants. The gravitational pull of the planet began to pull them in and soon enough, they began to accelerate as it burned through the planetary atmosphere. More than an hour later, the steel dreadnoughts would punch a massive hole through the desert and into a massive underground ocean and caused massive tidal waves throughout the underhive beaches.

"Contact the teams on planet, now. We need to know what the hell just happened." The Inquisitor snapped the order at the Watchmaster who bowed and made the sign of the Aquila before marching off towards the communication room.

Rythor smiled even as the mortal crewmembers looked around terrifyingly. "Do not worry. We are quite safe. Hold your heads high mortals, not many can claim to have a battle barge kill in a planetary defence cruiser." Gungnir as well as the shipcrew were inside the cloaked Stormeagle. Servitors had been activated on board and slaved to the controls programmed to impact on the traitor battle barge precisely where the bridge was, where the weakest point was between the rear engines and living quarter areas, and the front where the bridge and weapons control was. The legionnaire Sergeant had been hoping it would have snapped the battle barge in half with the impact, but the SDF cruiser lacked the speed to do so. However, as long as the battle barge itself was destroyed then it was simply another objective achieved. Cut off the traitors from their orbital reinforcements. That still however left a large quantity of cultists and traitors on the planet itself.

The Stormeagle began to drift slowly towards the cloaked Kilo Zeta strike cruiser, the tech marine pilot gently firing the accelerators to direct it towards an opened launch bay. "Sergeant, I do believe that even the Primarch himself would have had reservations about your plan." Artificer Tierros said over the helmet vox while the rest of the squad chuckled at his comment. The Stormeagle had docked at an airlock with the ship while it was heading towards the battle barge and evacuated the legionnaires and the human crew on board. Then right before impact, it had started firing its engines and started drifting towards here the cloaked strike cruiser was.

"The Primarch himself would have looked at me blankly and then transferred me to baby sit new initiates for this. However, needs dictate." The Sergeant responded. While it was not necessarily a punishment to train new initiates, it was not a duty that would traditionally fall to veteran reconnaissance sergeants. It was usually the Seeker squads and tactical squads that would take on the task of training new initiates.

As the stormeagle docked into the strike cruiser, members of the Gamma 6-7 were waiting with hellguns at port arms as the legionnaires exited. Following them were the human naval crew that looked around with blinking eyes. Few had ever been inside an Astartes strike cruiser, especially one as old as this that went back all the way to the Great Crusade. The legions human troops would escort the new crew into the medical bay for checks ups while Chief Apothecary Armand was there waiting. With a few tsks at the state of the Gungnir Sergeant who was now limping once again after the combat stimms and painkillers had worn off. "Sergeant, you look like you have been hit by an Iron Warrior warhammer. Again." The senior apothecary had his helmet locked at his belt, his face old and gaunt even though the small green hydra tattoo was still quite visible on his cheek. His head was shaven bald as was the nature of many of the Legion.

"Close my lord. It was a traitor terminator that smacked the Sergeant soundly with a storm bolter." "Answered Mychil. Rythor gave him a look which had some mild annoyance while the other members of his squad chuckled. "Of course, laugh at the one who just survived a terminator level stomping. The rest of you seem to be markless." The Sergeant responded.

"We had the good sense to stay out of the way of a terminator brother." Brachus answered as the chief apothecary cracked a thin smile at this. "Regardless of how you got these injuries brother, you are due in the medical bay for treatment." The Sergeant nodded and began to head towards the medical bay.

He was surprised however, at the presence of Kyreg who was there waiting. "Commander? I thought you were conducting operations in Eashenge." The legionnaire Commander shook his head. "No, I was needed here. We have some interesting developments." As soon as you have been checked out by the Apothecary, report to the hangar bay."

The Sergeant slammed his right hand against his chest in a traditional Legionnaires salute before heading off to the infirmary. Kyreg headed to the bridge where Chief Artificer Maygis was waiting. "Bring the cloaked object up on the screen." The techmarine ordered the minute the Commander had stepped into the bridge. An outline of a vessel could be seen hiding behind a small cluster of asteroids. "What is it?" The legionnaire commander sighed as he asked the question.

"Right now, unknown. We have been passively scanning the areas as per protocol and we discovered evidence of another vessel cloaked. Further investigation found the vessel. It looks to be a cruiser sized vessel but that is all that is known to us." The tech marine reported.

"Very well. Prepare for boarding action. Xythos and Gungnir squad will board." The tech marine nodded at the Commanders orders and began giving orders. Of course the way of the Legion was not to attack in a hail of fire but one of silence.

A few hours later the boarding torpedoes had been prepared, as well as jammers had also been prepped to fire. The boarding torpedoes on board the Kilo Zeta was not the usual type but rather had a piloting system on board. The Legion struck with precision force, not with overwhelming force the way the sons of Pertarubo might have or the sons of Rogal Dorn in breaching actions. Kyreg looked over the two boarding torpedoes and nodded. Along side them in the torpedo bays were jammer torpedoes, loaded down with signatures that would give returns that were consistent with space debris or asteroids. Gungnir squad had exchanged their precision sniper rifles for stalker bolters as well while Xythos squad had re-stocked on ammunition.

"Alright. Sergeant Rythor, your target will be the engine room. Xythos, we will take the bridge. Possible boarding locations have been marked. The Emperor expects." The legionnaires all nodded and entered their respective torpedoes and awaited. A few minutes later, the light inside the boarding torpedoes blinked to red and they were on their way. The pilots were servitors who had been programmed to do one thing only, get the torpedoes to their exact locations. Kyreg closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, breaching actions were where he had started off after becoming a full fledged legionnaire from the initiate training squads. He remembered the days of breacher shields and bolters locked to the breacher shields, firing as they went into heavily defended xenos and non-compliant human vessels.

"Adjust trajectory, right behind the bridge." They had no clue where the bridge was but Imperial cruiser design was relatively the same in terms of bridge placement. Usually near the middle, and top side. Gungnir had been fired towards a kilometer or two in front of where the engines would be.

Soon, a loud crunch could be heard from the inside of the torpedoes while the drillers started to work and the pressure began to equalize. "Torpedo docked." Kyreg blipped an acknowledgement on the vox to Rythors report and began to await the breaching drills to finish.

"Inquisitor, we may experience a slight bit of turbulence in a few moments." The Captain reported calmly. It was quite common in fact for such occurrences, especially in the void where an engagement between two ships had just occurred. "Will it affect the cloaking device Captain?" Laneth asked casually as she read from a data slate detailing her surface teams progress report. "No, the system had just detected some pieces of the ships that are travelling towards us. Quite common I assure you my lady, but it may prove to be .. rhythmical." The Captain replied.

The inquisitor laughed at the way the warship Captain had phrased the answer. "Perhaps it has been too long since you have stepping foot on a planet. I would not call debris shower a rhythmical experience, I would call debris showers nerve wrecking, hoping that a piece doesn't fly through the bridge viewing ports."

"I suppose that is a worry. Although having been on a ship for so long, it is not something which I pay much mind to anymore." Laneth laughed at his answer, it took an unusually skilled individual to be employed by the Inquisition. She looked at the data slate again. It stated that while the planet was under traitor control, there were still sporadic firefights occurring in both the city centers where remnants of the Arbites or loyal PDF soldiers were conducting geurilla attacks. It detailed even that through a combination of luck and sheer numbers, there were Astartes casualties as well caused by the loyalist troops. The Astartes themselves had landed already and were in Lorhenge taking over the capital and fortifying it while corrupted former Sisters of Battle seemed to act as the leaders for cultist troops. That was disturbing to say the least as members of the Adepta Sororitas were pious and loyal to the core. That was something for her colleagues in Ordo Hereticus to pay closer attention to.

She looked up and tried to speak again but found herself unusually tired. It seemed the crew was as well, as everything suddenly turned to black. The last thing she saw was the Captain holding onto the command console and falling down on the ground.

"Knock out gas in optimal spread Commander." Mytis checked his combat auger again as the Commander nodded. "Stack and breach." Xythos had deployed knock out gas, placing them into any vent openings they say before pulling the pins on them, sending out powerful knock out gas that was meant to be used on Astartes leadership targets. Many unit commanders in the legion days as well as now in the chapter era of the space marines forgo wearing any helmets in order to inspire their troops. For those of his Legion, practically mattered more so than any show boating. Kyreg moved towards the bridges door as Xythos followed behind him. "Chief Artificer, the bridge has been incapacitated. Begin docking and board with Gamma 6-7.

Gamma 6-7 had a history and lineage that would have been the envy of any second founding Space Marine chapter. Their lineage traced all the way back to the Geno Seven-Six Spartocid Regiments, who served under the Legion during the Great Crusade. Out of the few thousand in the regiment that was assigned to the 8th, there were a few hundred remaining now, an elite force that served from parents down to the children who grew up in the Legion strike cruiser and learned how to fight from experienced veterans. They never recruited from other human sources, only from the Geno Seven-Six stock. More than common soldiers, they were trained to be elite troops, commonly employed by the Legion in roles that would find a squad of Astartes hazardous to the secretive nature of the operations they found themselves in.

Kyreg opened the bridge doors and found the entire bridge to be unconscious. Nodding, he gave a gesture as his troops still cleared the room. Anyone who was armed would be disarmed.

Once the Gamma 6-7 troops had come on board, wearing gas masks as they went into the bridge following the path of their legionnaire masters, they quickly began to carry any mortals they found back in. "Emperors blood. Commander, you'll be quite amused at who this vessel belongs to." Kyreg looked over at Mytis who was checking the non-uniformed members of the bridge. Kyreg walked over as Mytis took from the unconscious woman a rosette with a stylised "I" on it. "The Sigilites children." He smiled, entertained by this. The Legionnaire commander had a great respect for the Emperors Sigilite, amongst the first few decades of his Legions life, many of the orders and commands came from Malcador himself. Those of the Trefoil who were developed separately from the other legions. The executions, the humanists, and the assassins. The Sigilite knew the role of the assassins well. Well enough that very few still knew that the Inquisition was the most public of Malcadors creations. The hidden one was the Assassinorium that those who knew of it feared it.

"Secure them. We have much work to do, and this disruption needs to be dealt with." Kyreg ordered as the Legionnaire strike cruiser began to dock against the inquisition cruiser.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Shadow of a Doubt**_

 _ **Chapter 7**_

Laneth woke up, feeling groggy with her head aching. Where the hell am I? She thought to herself and got up from the bed she was laying on. It was a plain simple room, just white walls and a small monitor on the wall which showed her vitals it appears. She recognized the screen for a heartbeat monitor and looked down at her hands. Her left hand had a white plastic clip attached to her wrist and she would take it off; the screen showing flat lines now that her vitals were no longer being read. She steeled her mind and reached down for the needle pistol she always carried only for her hand to find nothing there except the empty holster. Her rings were all gone and so was her necklace. She cursed whoever had searched her, realising that the digital las weapons concealed in her rings were gone as well. Someone had done a rather thorough job. Only her Inquisitorial rosette remained in place which made her wonder just who had put her here.

"Your weapons have been taken from you. There is no need to search for them." A deep male voice said from behind her. She spun around to see an eight foot tall Astartes in full black power armour standing there. She had checked the room, no one was there a second ago. "Where am I? What happened?" She asked as she began to move slowly towards one of the walls near the bed. "You are on board our strike cruiser, Daughter of Malcador." She frowned slightly at that response. "Which chapter do you belong to then, space marine?" She would ask as she crossed her arms. The power armoured figure chuckled for a moment and considered her question. "What makes you think I belong to any chapter? Do I not wear the colours of the blackshield?" The space marine retorted.

"Blackshield or not, you belong to a chapter at one point, did you not?" The Marine laughed again. "Ah yes, the Codex Astartes. Laid down by Lord Gulliman himself to divide up the Legions Astartes into one thousand Astartes Chapters. No Lady Inquisitor, I have never been part of an Astartes Chapter." The inquisitor clenched her jaws for a moment. "That makes you a traitor then." The Astarte snorted at her comment. "You simplify things. Have you ever been on Terra?" The Inquisitor shook her head.

"Let me tell you a story Inquisitor. The Emperor of Man, he was a great man. He was no god, and he abhorred gods. The Imperial Truth was what he fought for. That it was destiny for mankind to rule the stars, that xenos had no right to rule the stars above but that the galaxy belonged to humanity. And that humanity could not progress until the last church had been burned and the last priest on Terra had been cast into the grave. He first had the Thunder Warriors, powerful warriors who fought his will and united Terra. After them came the Astartes. More stable than the Thunder Warriors but not as physical large or powerful. In secret he developed the Primarchs and then the geneseeds from each Primarch, making twenty legions. Two of them, we will never know what has happened. Only the Primarchs, the Emperor and the Sigilite will ever know the truth of what had happened then. But the eighteen that were left, their geneseeds were used to produce the first Legionnaires, the Legion Astartes. A grand army of superhuman soldiers that will take the stars back from the aliens."

"Yes, I know the history of the Space Marine legions." Laneth would respond with a slight tick of impatience in her voice. The Astartes look at her and chuckled again. "No, you don't know the true history of the Space Marine Legions. You are but a child. The real truth of the Space Marine Legion would not even be known to the High Lords of Terra." He paused briefly before continuing.

"Out of the eighteen legions that were left, three legions were put aside. Separate. The others all had a distinct purpose, a distinct way of war. You might not realise it but even the Sons of Dorn and the Sons of Perturabo were different. The golden ones were always the Praetorians of the Emperor, while the Iron clad were always the Emperors fortress breakers. But these three Legions, they were distinctly different. They had roles beyond simply taking back the stars through silent mass drop assaults, or smashing through an enemy with spittle and chainaxes covered with gore. No, one was always the Emperors executioners. The loyal wolves. The second were the Emperors humanists. They could relate to humanity. The most human of us all. The Salamanders were always the kindest of the Emperors warriors. The last one, the last one was not the kind to wage a silent war, or a fast one. Nor were they the first to humble the genewrights of Luna. They were the Emperors assassins. They fought the secret wars."

He looked off for a moment while the Inquisitor tilted her head at his words. She could not imagine the Space Wolves as the Emperors executioners when they butted heads so often with the Inquisition. The Salamanders, she had never met any of them but she knew they had a good reputation amongst the Imperial Guard as being more concerned for the Guards welfare than other Chapters. The last legion, she did not know who he spoke of.

"Your progenitor, I had met him before. I was born on Terra after the Emperor had united all of Terra under his command, I was a young boy from the Caucus regions, from the Kingdom of Ursh ruled by a tyrant and I was taken from my village to be recruited. When I first donned the battle plate of the Legion Astartes, I was first sent to be trained by the Sixteenth, the legion of his favoured son. And after spending time on campaigns and learning the true savagery of war, I was returned to Terra and given missions. Sometimes alone, sometimes with others of my Legion, we killed enemies hiding on Terra. Those who had not truly bent the knee to the Emperor in their hearts, and those who still sought to undermine him. That was when I met Malcador. He was an unassuming man although standing next to him, I could feel just how great his power was. A fraction of the Emperors greatness but he was one of the few humans I had ever met that could stand next to Rogal Dorn, and you would be unsure who was greater. He assigned us missions, masquerading as other Legions, going across the stars to kill off enemies of man. We killed those who surrendered to compliance, but still sought to breed dissidence. The enemies of the Imperium within themselves and those without, those enemies that would have taken hundreds of thousands of lives both mortal and Astartes, we killed."

The Space Marine reached onto his breastplate and removed a few pieces of magnetic bits of steel and walked over to the bed, placing them on it. "Take a look Inquisitor. Tell me what you see."

Laneth would turn her head and look at the metal pieces on the bed. One of them was a small iron skull on a gold backing. Another was a round plating the size of a coin made up of an extremely heavy metal with laurels on it. The last few pieces were all of similar winged skull motif. "What are they? I recognise a few of them but.."

"Those a keep sake for myself. A memory of the Great Crusades. You are touching what the Legions used to have as decorations. Many of those were given to me by the Sigilite for the missions I completed under his command. And some of those were given by the Emperor himself."

The Inquisitor blanched at his last comment. "The Emperor awarded medals to the legions?" The Legionnaire nodded and sighed softly through his helmet. "The most heavily decorated were always those of Cthonia and of the Phalanx. The Emperors Wolves have always been those of the Sixteenth. Those of Fenris have always been his executioners. But there are many across the legion of every legion who were awarded by the Emperor. You see the Custodes have always been there to protect him but in battle, there were always companies assigned to the Emperors command. Even on Terra itself, a son from every Legion stood guard at some point before the Heresy. The golden Aquila with the lightning through it was given to me by the Emperor for carrying out that duty. For my participation in the Custodes blood games, as they were called. The reason I tell you this, is because Inquisitor, is because this story ends with the treason of the Warmaster. For someone to have never stood beside the Warmaster, or the Emperor, or even any of the Primarchs to call me traitor.. well I refuse to acknowledge that at all."

The Inquisitor gasped as the legionnaire took off his helmet and the hologram field around him dissipated. The space marine wore a dusk blue set of power armour, older than she was or her ancestors. The left pauldron was covered in a series of chains and scales, while the right had a large image of a chain wrapped around a large Delta insignia. Serpent scales covered his armoured greaves, while a tabard hanging from his belt showed the image of a hydra.

"You're. You're Alpha Legion." The Inquisitor hissed as she clenched her fists. "Yes, I am. And I would like for you to calm down Inquisitor. Tell me, do you think that every member of the fallen legions all followed their genefather to damnation?" The legionnaire asked as he clamped his helmet at his belt. "I'm not going to answer any of your questions, hydra." The Inquisitor clenched her jaws as she replied. "I will answer for you. The Eisenhorn, a retreat from Istavaan by a crew of loyalist members of the fallen legions. Those their own genefather tried to sentence to death. As well, there are the Knights Errant, the legionnaires who stood before Malcador the Sigilite and swore an oath to fight the threat of Chaos and serve the Imperium. Look at all the Chapters that descend from the geneseed of the fallen legions."

"There are none. It has been forbidden to-." "You are of the Inquisition and you know so very little. Of course geneseeds from the traitor legions have been used. On Terra, the research to create new geneseeds have been lost with the undeath of the Emperor. You think aside from the main depositories, all the various collections left have not been used? There are chapters that fight the exact same way certain legions used to. Is that coincidence? Do not be naïve Inquisitor. Shut up and listen. You are here because we require your assistance before the Angels Evermore turn this planet into a daemon world. Or worse. I am sure you saw the death of their battle barge but that will not stop them for long. After all, this is only the first ship that came to this planet."

The Inquisitor looked at him suspiciously. The Alpha Legion was one of the biggest enemies of the Inquisition yet he knew so much. Too much to simply be a fallen Astartes. "Why should I trust any words you say, hydra?" He laughed and looked right back at her. "What use are you to me? Your position, yes. Your persona, yes. But I can have your face transplanted onto the face of a human operative and assume the position of every person on your team and dump your bodies into a furnace. If I am a monster of Chaos, then there is absolutely no reason for me to keep you alive. I should sacrifice you to the dark gods."

The Inquisitor stiffened at such a casual mention of such blasphemy. "Don't look so terrified Inquisitor. It is unbecoming. But luckily for you, I do not believe in gods. There are no daemons in the maelstrom and there are those who are foolish enough to seek their attention. I am loyal to the Emperor. I am loyal to Him because I have fought for him. I have bled for him. I have fought as part of his vanguard during the early days of the crusade, and I have bent my knee when he required me to kill a man who was put in power by his very own command because of hubris. I understand the nature of my Legion."

"Every word your Legion speaks is a word of lies." The Inquisitor retorted, her features hardened. "You want my help to fight a rival warband, and when that is done you will have damned me to heresy."

"There is no such thing as heresy you foolish woman." The Astarte snarled at her use of the word so casually. "The Emperor is not a god. Do you know who wrote the Lectitio Divinitatus?" She stared at him with contempt in her eyes. "Lorgar the Urizen wrote it. He penned that book after meeting the Emperor and was utterly convinced of his divinity. Do you know what that got him? It got his perfect city razed to ashes as Guillimans sons descended from the skies following the Emperor and his Custodes. The Emperor made the entire legion kneel to him while the Ultramarines stood by to execute every member of the Word Bearers. And my legion, the 8th Harrow legion reconnaissance squads were hidden in the dust with sniper rifles aimed at the heads of every Word Bearer officer there. We awaited a single signal, for the Captain of the Custodians to raise his right index finger. That was all it would have taken for blood to be shed that day if Lorgar did not acknowledge that he was wrong. Instead, we received a raised pinkie on his left hand, and we disappeared back into the ashes. So tell me this. Who is the traitor here?" Kyreg roared his disapproval of the Imperial Cult at her. She jumped back, Inquisitor or not the contempt in his voice was still something to be beheld.

"If the Emperor was here right now, what do you think he would do? For him to have put down the last Church on Terra and broken the faith of the last priest who cast himself willingly into a pyre, only to see churches dedicated to worshipping him. The Custodians of the Emperor would go to war again, Inquisitor. And they would kill every member of the High Lords of Terra and every member of your Inquisition." Kyreg took a deep breath and glared at her. "Think on that Inquisitor." With that, he left the room. Laneth looked around the prison in panic knowing that she must find a way out. She did not know how she had ended up like this, and just hoped that someone noticed her disappearance and could send a message for help.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

"Lord Consul, we have located the artifact. We are currently dispatching forces to retrieve it." His Equerry bowed before him as he announced the fact. Viprus nodded although with annoyance still on his face. Some loyalist scums had managed to destroy the only starport he could have used, and taken down his battle barge by suicide. He admired their stubbornness but the destruction of his battle barge annoyed him. He had eased his humours earlier by drinking from the offerings to him, and practiced the exquisite arts on others but it had not made his mood that much better. "Excellent Aristotle.. make sure there are Angels Evermore warriors with the Bloodsworn, I will not tolerate anymore setbacks." His Equerry bowed again. "By your will, Lord." Aristotle turned and left to make the arrangements while Viprus stewed.

"We have started purging the loyalist elements my Lord. Those who will not swear allegiance to the young prince are being sacrificed as we speak." His First Captain announced to him, Persedeus having entered with the Equerry. "Once we hold the artifact, we can begin the rituals." Viprus nodded and sighed again. "What ails you my Lord? Perhaps more spirits are called for?" The traitor commander shook his head and stood up from his throne. "No, it is much worse my old friend. I am bored. I am melancholic. I require amusement. Substantial amusement." The First Captain nodded at the Consuls words. "Perhaps then, some sport. Perhaps you would like to join the Flayed Circle in their attack of loyalist positions?" Viprus shook his head again. "No Persedeus, it is this waiting. I simply am impatient. I… I long for this Persedeus. The piece of a craftworld lost on this planet.. no it is simply too exquisite a treasure to be tarnished by amusing myself with lesser things." Persedeus nodded, the former Emperors Children legionnaire merely gesturing towards a data slate he held in his hand. "The Sons of the Void are heading out with a large force of Bloodsworn troops towards the artifact. It should be in your hands in a matter of hours." Viprus nodded and sighed before sinking back down into his throne.

 ** _Sueshenge_**

Towards the southern polar axis of the planet, a large force of chimeras defaced with various symbols of Slaanesh raced towards a massive forest there. A few days ago, the sorcerers had finally cracked the Eldars psychic defences left to hide the location of the craftworld piece. And now the Angels Evermore were finally heading towards what they had come for. Behind the Chimeras rode Rhinos, painted all white with symbols painted on in bright purple and gold. "My Lord, the wyches have determined that just east of the center of the forest is where the piece has been buried. We are unsure of possible enemies but the Bloodsworn are advancing steadily." His vox had erupted with the report from one of his Sergeants. Captain Ophelius, formerly of the Blood Angels 14th Chapter now the Captain of the Sons of the Void; a group of Slaaneshi devoted Astartes who now served the Consul eagerly.

"Excellent. Once we have entered the forest, send the Scoparius in with the Bloodsworn, they will ensure that the mortals do not fall behind or falter." He ordered as he caressed the sword in his hand. "As you command Lord." He grinned a little as he ran an unarmoured hand over the edge of the powersword, hissing with delight as he made a razorthin cut on his palm. "Well then we will soon have our prize won't we." He licked the blood from his palm as the sword pulsed approval into his brain. He looked at the squad of armoured space marines around him, his loyal command squad. Each was a void assault veteran, carrying a combination of blades and axes along with phobos pattern bolters.

The lead chimera travelled into the edge of the forest and the other chimeras all followed and formed a laager as the Bloodsworn troops as well as Scoparius reavers dismounted. The three Rhinos stopped as well while the three squads of Angel Evermore chaos marines disamounted and begin to enter the treeline. That was when the first cultist died.

A burst of plasti-crystal shredded the flak jacket of the Bloodsworn soldier as he went down wordlessly, the two dozen shards of shuriken rounds shredding the soldiers insides and reducing his body to a little more than a blood sack. His squadmates reacted quickly and began firing their auto rifles in long bursts, shredding branches and leaves as well as bushes in reaction to the sudden ambush. Then the entire squad was turned into shred by multiple bursts of razor sharp plasti-crystal discs from above which pulped skulls and bone, turning the soft flesh underneath into bloody pulp barely held together by the skin.

"Lord, we have engaged." Ophelius nodded and swung his blade upwards pointing it towards the jungle. "Advance then you dogs, charge!" Some of the Bloodsworn troops looked uneasily at the jungle where bursts of auto rifle fire had been reduced to silence. However the Scorparius advanced with their bolters held up and auto-targeters tracking the treeline. Seeing the three squads of chaos space marines ready their bolters, the human cultist troops charged into the treeline. Before they could reach the tree line however, the sky was filled with small armour piercing missiles that would detonate into the group of charging cultist troops. Limbs were sent flying while bodies were reduced to bloodied smears on the grassy fields around the treeline.

"Where is the enemy? Someone find them!" Ophelius screamed as he advanced with the marines under his command who began firing into the treeline. The damned Astartes Captain snarled and charged, his command squad loyally following him with their melee weapons drawn as well until the armoured form of Ophelius stumbled onto the ground and laid still. Only a single small hole can be seen right above his optic lense oozing blood. Seeing their leader killed, the squad sergeant snarled into his vox and ordered the chimeras and the rhinos to fill the treeline with fire. Multilasers and mounted stormbolters began shredding and pulping the treeline, turning wood and leaves into smouldering piles of tinder and fibrous pulp. However blasts of concentrated laser bolts from the treeline soon had the armoured vehicles smouldering in oily black smoke. Just as he was about to give another order, the command squad Sergeant suddenly found himself unable to move, looking down out of his chest and seeing a large vicious looking chainblade appearing out of his chest before he coughed up blood and saw only the ground for a few seconds before he expired. The armoured warriors had ambushed the Astartes from behind, chainswords revving and cutting through ceramite even as the traitor marines fought back with blade and bayonet. The initial surprise soon wore off and the remaining Astartes fought back steadily until the green armoured warriors retreated. The reason for the retreat soon came into being as the Astartes gave chase only to be cut down by precisely aimed sniper fire and armour piercing missiles which lanced through the power armour.

"Form a defensive circle! We will break them like water upon rocks." One of the last few remaining Sergeants roared right before a blast of precision laser into his forehead crumpled him onto the ground. As the Astartes formed a circle, the Scoparius were cut down brutally as more of the green armoured warriors appeared with chainswords that cut through their power armour, razor sharp revving teeth shredded organs and flesh alike. The Bloodsworn tried to retreat only to see armoured figures exit the woods and fire at them, magnetically charged shuriken rounds cutting through them. The only thing that seemed to have any effect were the bolters carried by the Astartes and the fallen Sororitas, the mass reactive rounds detonating against the enemy infantrys armoured suits and turning their guts into a massive crater as bursts of bolter fire caught them. However with no cover in sight, the last Scoparius reaver fell to the ground howling with ecstasy while armour piercing missiles detonated against her power armour and rending her internal organs into a fine spray of red against the grass.

The Astartes who still remained began to retreat in an orderly fashion, one half firing while the other half moved but even this method provided little protection against the rain of missiles exploding amongst their ranks. As the squad havoc opened up with a powerful autocannon loaded with explosive rounds that blew off limbs and blew apart the torsos of the armoured warriors that had ambushed them, more precise blasts of laser would pick them off. The Command squad havoc fired his heavy bolter with great effect, the large thumb sized explosive rounds punched through several of the armoured warriors before a blast of melta ashed his torso. Suddenly amongst the Astartes, several orange armoured warriors fired multiple blasts of melta at almost point blank range and soon the chaos sworn force was reduced to a field of corpses.

The Mon'keigh have been crushed. One of the green armoured warriors would project his thought as the Seer in the woods expressed a psychic sigh of relief. It was a great victory Wyndilel. Although not without cost. My sorrow to the ones that have fallen. You as well Yiliea, I fear that before this is over many of our kin will be part of the Infinity Circuit. The one the Seer had addressed nodded as well, a red armoured figure standing with the other Dire Avengers amidst the cover of the treeline. We go to war once more Seer, what is at stake can only be secured by the price of our blood. The Seer sighed again, it has been too long for Seer Lilithfeon to once again leader a strike force but not long enough.

The great enemy comes at us in force once again brothers and sisters. A black armoured sinisterly masked figure chimed in, the Dark Reaper Exarch stated even as his brethren began reloading their reaper launchers. I thank all of you in placing faith in my readings. There will be great darkness for us all no matter the Craftworld if the great enemy achieves victory here. The Seer leaned on her wychblade for a moment, the exhilaration from the battle fading away into a sense of fatigue. We still have much to prepare for. I foresee many more attempts in the future.

 ** _Kilo Zeta_**

"We have detected an unusual amount of psychic resonance on the planet. At a specific point section near the southern axis." Centurion Maygis announced over the vox to Kyreg. Kyreg nodded before continuing on towards the room the Inquisitor was kept in. She had been moved to an actual cell of sorts containing a bathroom and chairs. He opened the door to see Laneth sitting down and glaring at him as he entered. Outside of the door were twelve members of Gamma 6-7 in grey carapace armour wielding a mixture of hellguns and volleyguns.

"Glare at me all you want Inquisitor, but come with me. I have something to show you." He would say to her as he stepped into the hallway and looked at her expectantly. Laneth glared at him for a few more seconds before getting up. He would lead her to the bridge and gesture for Maygis to put the findings on the screen. "Tell me Inquisitor. Why is there a dense concentration of psychic readings in that section of the planet?" The Inquisitor looked at him and defiantly looked away. "Very well then. You are a member of the Sigilites last gift to humanity, but you will not even use your talents even when you know that the ruinous powers are looking for something that will threaten the Imperium? Perhaps you are the one that should be named traitor." Kyreg looked back at the screen and tapped a finger against his armoured legs.

"Where are my people?" She asked while defiantly looking away from him. "They are safe and unharmed. Disarmed and kept secured in another cell." She took a deep breath and finally looked at the display screen, noting over the psychic readings displayed. "That's not chaos. But neither is it human. It's much too high and consistent for human psykers." She finally answered in a deep exhale. Kyreg nodded and thought about it for a moment. "Aeldari." She looked at him in surprise as he spoke. "The Angels Evermore are worshippers of Slaanesh. They don't stay on a planet for blood sport, I can assure you. It has been long enough that should they wanted to, the entire planet would have been sacrificed in a bloody orgy of excess in order to bring upon the blessings of their dark patron. However they seem to been looking for something and now it seems the Aeldari are involved. I can assure you Inquisitor in the ten millennia that I have served the Emperor, the Aeldari are the favourite targets of those who worship the dark prince." The Inquisitor had a mild look of surprise on her face even as he said this. "Don't look so shocked Inquisitor. The Inquisitorial Archives are schola study notes compared to the intelligence networks of the Legion." Laneth chewed on her tongue for a moment. "Then this planet will need to be purged fully of both Chaos and xenos." The tech marine at the bridge snorted slightly, while Kyreg chuckled in amusement.

"This is why the Inquisitorial Archives are barely competent as study notes. You seek to purge without finding out what it is the traitors want and why it is that the Aeldari are risking their small populace on such an insignificant world to them. For the Imperium, it is the last bastion of supply near these regions of space. For the xenos, it is only a dust ball barely worth their attention. If it was important to them, the planet would already be a battlefield." Kyreg answered. "Xenos must be purged, they do not have a place in the Emperors galaxy. Of course for traitor scum like you, I'm quite sure you simply wish to sacrifice the planet to your patron." The Inquisitor spat out while Kyreg looked on with amusement. "You have never served the Emperor Inquisitor. You serve the High Lords of Terra, mortals who have become corrupt with power since the very first days after Ullanor. You have never even met the Emperor, never even been in front of the Golden Throne while I have bled for him since before the first expeditionary fleets travelled to the void to bring the Imperial Truth to the stars. Do not tell me of what is serving the Emperor and what is not." He retorted while glancing back at the screen. "I will release you Inquisitor. In a few days time. I will tell you this however. This galaxy belongs to the Emperor, and I will ensure that."

Inquisitor Laneth looked at him with barely concealed contempt and turned her head again. At the same time her mind raced at his words. He was right, she had never met the Emperor nor had she ever been stood in front of the Golden Throne. The first schisms of doubt began to form in her mind.

"The Aeldari must be stopped but so do the traitors. I assure you Inquisitor, before their fall the Angels Evermore were members of the Blood Angels. There are no finer assault troops in the galaxy then the Blood Angels. Even the baying butchers of the Angron do not possess the martial strategium that the Blood Angels practice. Even if you brought in another Astartes Chapter, don't forget that the Imperiums Space Marines are but still milk fed whelps compared to the Legionnaires that have survived the Warmasters betrayal." With that Kyreg turned and walked out of the bridge while the Gamma 6-7 troops would escort Laneth back into her cell.

As she walked back towards her cell, her mind raced. For all intents and purposes, the Alpha Legion Commander acted just like a loyalist but as a member of the hated XX Legion, he could not be trusted. Yet it could not be denied that his words spoke of truth. Truth that were verified by facts. As she sat down in a chair in her cell, she had the nagging feeling that the legionnaire was right about all of this. That proved to be more disquieting than even her imprisonment aboard an Alpha Legion cruiser.

Kyreg thought about the new development. He had dealt with the Aeldari before, and even fought alongside them when it was necessary. But Tyven V belonged to the Emperors rule and he would not allow them to act so brazenly on an Imperium planet. However, the Inquisitor being here may throw some wrenches into the plan and it was something which he had to account for now. This had been a simple retrieval operation but the geneseeds had found to be stable and still pure with Alpha Legion markers on them. Of course some of them had to be destroyed due to tissue decay but the rest was enough to perhaps form an entire company again. If they can find the recruits. And then to train an entire company of Initiates? And to equip them? The armoury was still turning out the modified suits of Maximus power armour that the 8th favoured but it was slow progress. It was something which fell to his shoulder now that he was the senior officer of the 8th. The previous Harrowmaster had his life snuffed by Kyreg himself when the officer had finally snapped and begin to look towards pirating and looting. No, service was its own reward, and Kyreg was determined that the 8th will not become a Chaos warband.

"Maygis. Those power suits for Sergeant Yingrs initiates. Are they ready?" He would vox the tech marine Centurion. "They will be in two days time my Lord. You cannot rush these things, especially as each suit requires modifications that assist us in our tasks." Kyreg sighed and thought about his next order carefully. "Once they are ready, the Initiates are to warplated." "Understood Commander. The new stalker bolters are also being completed as we speak." Kyreg acknowledged this with a blip of his vox before standing up.

As he laid down on his large cot, he allowed his eyes to close and his mind to wander for the first time in days, as new plans began to form in his head. Yes, for the next part he will require the new Initiates. The squads had to be rebuilt bit by bit, an no matter how difficult it might be, the 8th had to expand and he knew it. After all, the Emperor expects.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 8_**

"I want this to bemade very clear Equerry. I tire of this planet and I tire of this throne room. Mobilise every one of my warriors, we will see who would dare stand against the might of Chaos." Viprus hissed, his blade still dripping the blood of a Bloodsworn officer who had dared to bring him such news. Three squads of his most veteran Marines dead? As well as an entire company of Bloodsworn troops. The lives of the mortal soldiers meant little to him, but he suspected there just might be more to this forest than they had initially discovered. His Sorcerers had sacrificed hundreds of unwilling mortals in order to discover the truth of the matter and find where the damned Eldar had erected the psychic defences to protect the pieces of their Craftworld. The largest one was the forest, but perhaps there just might be more simply psychic defences there. "I will lead them myself into battle. How many Thunderhawks do we have still available to us?" His Equerry bowed before answering. "Lord, we still possess a dozen Thunderhawks on the planet at the Capital City Starport. However most others are lost along with our battle barge." Viprus hissed a bit. "Call for the Jerucales." His Equerry bowed again, before turning around and leaving.

Aristotle entered the communication room and handed one of the cultists that manned a vox transmitter and a coginator. "Long range transmission. This is the message and this is what it should say." The cultist bowed lowly at the mighty Astartes who stood in front of him before quickly moving to the vox transmitter.

"The Jerucales my Lord?" Captain Persedeus tilted his head at the Chaos Consul questioningly. "Do not give me that look Persedeus, you look like a scorned daemonette." Viprus snapped as he licked some of the blood off of his blade. The First Captain, instead of being offended just laughed with amusement. "My Lord, I ask because you normally do not ask for them unless you are thinking this can be a new home world for us?" Viprus nodded at his question. "We are at the furthest fringes of the galaxy. We are not too far away from the Eye, and there is an overabundance of slaves and recruits from here. I believe too that based on the planets terrain, there should be quite an abundance of raw minerals as well. This would be a good world for us, especially as we can increase our ranks substantially after this has all been done and dealt with.."

The Chaos First Captain nodded in agreement. "Of course to deploy the Jerucales… what of our current base? They will deploy whole heartedly I believe and that means all of our slaves and servants will be sent here." Viprus shugged as he sheathed his daemon blade. "So be it then. We must also claim another battle barge." Persedeus nodded in agreement. "I believe my dear Consul, that I have a plan to acquire one." Viprus stretched in his ornate relic power armour and raised a finely trimmed eyebrow questioningly. "Do you remember what we exchanged with the Warsmith in order to ensure the Iron Warriors loyalty to us?" Viprus paused for a moment. "Yes, the assault on that moon. Ah I see what you are thinking of. The Knights of Blood. One of the milk pups of the Blood Angels. They have been declared traitors have they not? By the Inquisition." Persedeus chuckled softly as his commander saw where he was leading the conversation. "Yes. A small remnant of them are still on board their battle barge as we killed dozens of them in the crossfire that was set up. But their battle barge, it stayed on that moon after we retrieved the relic that the Warsmith wanted, did we not? Yes. We will make sure we claim it after we have solidified our hold on this planet."

 ** _Lorhenge_**

"You there, get over here. What are you doing wandering out past curfew." The white uniformed Bloodsworn soldier gestured at Galya as she held onto the data slate tightly. Sighing internally, she would strut towards the soldier with a sultry sway of her hips as she pouted at him. "I'm Lord General Blythe's assistant. I have to make a .. delivery to his manor." The soldier laughed as she handed him a pass that was signed by the Lord General. "Hurry up then before us lonely soldiers decide to inspect you any further." The other soldiers in the checkpoint snickered as Galya gave a flirty smile and strutted past them. She did not care one way or the other if she had to use her sex as a weapon but on a planet now ruled by a Slaaneshi cult essentially, she despised how often she had to do it. The more human side of her wished for a chemical bath after all this was said and done; when she can finally complete her mission.

About half an hour later, she approached the manor house and rang the bell at the gate. A security camera can be seen moving to watch her while the gate opened slowly. A squad of tan uniformed grenadiers appeared as she walked past the gate and would escort her in after giving her a pat down. She was a frequent enough "guest" at the manor house that the pat downs were relatively informal and quick. Thank the Emperor for small miracles, she thought as she walked through the front foyer where she was greeted by the Lord Generals butler. "Hello, I am here to make a delivery for the Lord General." The Butler bowed deeply before showing her upstairs to where the office was. The Butler would announce her, like countless times previously before disappearing.

"Close the door behind you my dear. Ah yes, is that the new recruitment numbers? Excellent.. you know the Astartes lords know just quite how to recruit huh. The prisoners from the central prisons all funneled into the Bloodsworn and kept in line by combat drugs. That's a rather ingenious idea. Why are you standing so stiffly? Fetch us some drinks will you?" The Lord General read through the data slate and looked at her with a lecherous smile on his face. She would bow slightly and head towards the liquor cabinet and poured two measures of amasecs into a crystal glass and walked over to him, placing it on his desk. The Lord General smiled and took a sip from it. "I think it's time we discussed your promotion Suzanne. How about a military title.. Colonel? No, perhaps Brigadier. I think the Brigadiers uniform would look much better on you." He smiled as he stood up and walked over to her, his hands reaching up to her shoulder and lightly massaging her. He would slowly turn her around and she faked a look of innocent shock on her face. "There there, no need to be so alarmed. It's about time that I took you into my.. confidence."

With a lecherous smile on his face, he leaned in towards her with his lips pursed and pressed them against hers. She relaxed a little bit and ignored the taste of tobacco and the scent of liquor before placing her right hand on his chest. With her left hand, she reached up and pushed his lips harder against hers while she flexed her right hands ring finger. With a soft cough, a toxic needle was fired from one of the rings she wore into his heart, the toxin paralyzing him as he stared at her with wide eyes, unable to breathe or make another sound. Then laying his body down quietly and then locking the door, she would open a window and wait a few seconds before a man dressed in a black bodyglove jumped in through the window silently. She gestured towards the body and the man quickly injected himself with something as he looked at the body. In a few moments, a complete look alike formed in the mans place. "You know what to do Orin?" Galya asked him and the man nodded. "I expect you to be at the office tomorrow just before noon, understood Suzanne?" The imposter stated, his mannerisms down to even the most miniscule detail. Galya bowed slightly before the two of them would pick up the deceased Lord General. The Imposter dressed into his clothes quickly before the two assassins tossed the body out the window. Of course no sound was made, the body having been caught by a taunt fibrous blanket held by a few body gloved agents who would transport the body to be destroyed by melta fire.

The new Lord General would open the door and stated quite clearly out for the benefit of anyone listening. "You are dismissed for the night my dear, please ensure you are more.. fittingly dressed in the morning." Galya curtsied before she exited the room and headed downstairs where the butler would escort her to the front door. At the front door, the same squad of Grenadiers waited and took her to the main gate where she finally left the property. She knew that once she was gone, everyone in that mansion was going to be replaced. The guards of the property would be dismissed to be replaced by agents recruited locally, and already placed in position thanks to her various handy work throughout her current tenure as the Lord Generals assistant.

 ** _Golden Wrath_**

"There is a message, genecoded to you only, Captain." Captain Prephas turned to see a warrior of the Ironwights warband bowed before him with a cryptobox. He nodded his thanks as he reached down and took the cryptobox and looked at it. He would walk down the halls, moving slowly in the blood red Cataphractii armour into his quarters before biting his bottom lip lightly and letting a few drops of blood drip onto the seal. The seal flashed a green light as it acknowledged it and the message opened. He would listen to the message twice and nodded before crushing it in his armoured fists and walked back to the bridge. "Warsmith." The silver armoured figured turned and clasped a fist across his breastplate in salute. "The Consul has given order. We are to join him on Tythen V. His message to me was _'A suitable base has finally been found. Ensure the Warsmith is informed.'._ " The Warsmith could be heard chuckling, a deep grinding sound from inside his horned helmet. "The Consul honours us once again. I will make the preparations." Warsmith Gryshun smiled inside his helmet as he held the graviton hammer, his most prized possession. It was a prize worthy of bending a knee to the Consul. In return for his loyalty, the former Blood Angel Consul had rewarded him and the Ironwight warband with slaves and tech adepts enslaved to his forges.

He would turn swiftly, his escort of two Ourea veterans carrying combi-bolters with underslung plasma guns turning as one and followed him with their weapons carried across their chest. Precision, that was the hallmark of the Iron Warriors; the Warsmith was quite glad for an opportunity to fortify and finally hold a world as their own. He knew as well that the details would be left to him as the Consul had little interest in the earthworks or fortification process of securing a position. He would soon reach a section of the ship that held little of the prestigious and intricate decorations of the remainder of the battle barge. Through it he would enter into a large training hall where various Iron Warrior Astartes of the Ironwights were readying weapons of war or studying the theoretical behind past battles.

"Ironwights. The Consul has given us the order to deploy. He has found a planet for us to remake with the glory of Iron." The reply of "Iron Within and Iron Without" came as one thunderous roar as his warriors began their preparations immediately.

Captain Prephas entered an exceedingly large room tiled with marble, with various weapons on racks as well as large training cages built in. He smiled with approval as his warriors, the veteran Astartes of the Oathsworn trained and practiced their battle drills fervently. Nothing less was expected from the terminator elites. Of course Sanguinis had overlooked the greatness of the Oathsworn, and of himself. It mattered little now, his only link to his genefather was the genecodes that ran through his blood. Looking over towards the end, several human slaves were in sealed containers, unconscious with tubes hooked through their bodies at various points. With his nod, the human serf pressed a button and within thirty seconds, every drop of blood was drained from the slaves, the red lifeblood being fed into seven different chalices. The sudden smell of blood caused the red armoured giants within the training cages to stop and sniffed the air with a slight growl.

"Brothers, we have been called upon the anvil once again. Slake your thirst with me in celebration." The unhelmed Captain called out as he strode over and picked up a large chalice. The members of the Oathsworn sheathed their weapons and trudged over, each picking up a large chalice reverently. "Today, we hone our minds and slake our thirst once again in service to the Consul. The next feast will take place AFTER victory is ours. Now drink my brothers, let us drink to the four gods!" The armoured giants in the room all chugged the hot rich blood with thirst and with relish. Moments after, each chalice was dropped onto the floor with a loud clang. "Captain, where are we do go this time?" One of them asked. "We are to join the Consul on his current mission. He requires true veterans my brothers." Each of the chaos terminators chuckled. While all were clad in the same blood red cataphractii armour as their Captain, they had various trophies and symbols on their armour. The Captain had a massive wolf pelt hung over his pauldron while the others had symbolic slashes across their armour as tributes to a worthy opponent. Some had skulls dangling from a series of chains attached to their armour, while others still had skulls both human and xenos impaled on the trophy racks on their backs. Most had helmets in the colours of various loyalist Legions and Chapters, their former owners skulls still stuck inside attached to chains on their armour. While they were dueling each other in the practice cages with their chainaxes, all of them now walked towards a large polished steel step that held their revered Reaper pattern autocannons. Bayonets were attached to them, large jagged pieces of steel. They would pick them up and load them expertly, millennia of practice having honed their control of the terminator armour to a precise art. Prephas however picked up a massive stormbolter still with the symbols of the Blood Angels on it. He would load it with a large drum magazine and chuckled deeply.

 ** _Kilo Zeta_**

"Inquisitor, have you thought about our last discussion?" Kyreg asked the woman calmly as he entered the room. She was sitting there as she always was, and she glared at him like she always did, although this time with less fervour behind it. "I will show you the truth then." He nodded as Thodor the Xythos squad psyker entered and took a seat in front of her, somehow balancing himself on a smaller chair made for an unaugmented human. "Do not struggle Lady Inquisitor. It will cause you damage if you do." Before she could ask what the psyker meant, he placed an unarmoured hand on her forehead and then all she saw was blackness.

She felt her mind falling before they were finally stopped, arrested by a pair of power armour helmet visors that she now looked through. She could not control any movements at all, but suddenly she felt herself moving forward.

"The moonlight is quite bright tonight." The voice came from a figure standing in front of a backdrop of a magnificent castle. Was that Terra? She found herself staring at the figure until the helmet visor moved closer. She realised that she was looking through the eyes of a space marine. "Sigilite, you honour me once again with your summon." The space marine whose eyes she was looking through lowered, seemingly kneeling down to the mortal with one knee. "Honour is done nephew." The voice stated and the marine stood up again. She blinked her eyes a few times as she realised who it was. The mortal had turned around, wearing a simple administrators cloak but he was unmistakable. His image was printed on billions of books, and painted across the galaxy. Malcador the Sigilite. He looked like an old man but he exuded greatness. Power. Strength. She found herself unable to think for a moment.

"My Lord, Theta stands once again to serve you." The space marine stated. Malcador smiled and nodded. "I am pleased to hear this, although I regret to inform you that this will be an unpleasant mission. The former Kingdom of Ursh. A following has begun again, amongst those who were left to govern. You were from Ursh were you not, Sergeant Kyreg?" She was shocked as she realised she was viewing the memories of her captor. "My Lord, I am of the Twentieth." The Sergeants reply was brisk and Malcador bowed slightly. "I do not mean to insinuate anything Sergeant. I apologize.. I just like to know those in my service." A sound of ceramite on ceramite sounded, Kyreg slamming his armoured gauntlet against his breastplate as a sign of assent. "Go forth loyal Theta. Bring me their heads."

The next memory she saw was of utter blackness with a white edge. The vision cleared slightly as she realised there were blizzards all around and then Kyreg was moving upwards. It seemed he was climbing out of a snowdrift and she could see a large palace up ahead. Kyreg stopped next to a pair of guards who had not yet seen him. "The stars themselves shall alight with the great illumination." The guards suddenly stood still and turned, replying. "And the Emperors wrath shall reach all found wanting." They then opened the doors and bowed, their movements slightly sluggish. The only telltale signs of their hypno indoctrination being activated. Kyreg moved through and she realised that there were others with him, other Astarte warriors clad in the same dusk blue as him. The palace seemed to be oddly empty as Kyreg advanced upstairs. Even servants in the halls seemed to take no notice of him, the legionnaire walking without a sound past them. Kyreg opened a door and drew a long blade from it while the sounds of blades being drawn can be heard from the others. A large group of people looked up at the open door and gaped but before they could scream, Kyreg and his squadmates had entered and began hacking them apart, decapitating one after the other as screams wailed from them. "Why, why are you doing this?" The last woman alive pleaded right before Kyreg sliced her head off. "No act of treason is ever hidden from the light of the Emperor." Kyreg hissed as her head tumbled onto the ground. "Collect the heads. We extract now." Kyreg and his squad headed for the roof, their grisly trophies having been collected and held in a satchel. On the roof was a stormbird, oddly quiet for a vehicle of that size in the colours of the Custodian. She blanched as she watched them enter.

She saw nothing but blackness once again, and this time she saw greenskin. Hordes upon hordes of them in front of her. She shuddered as she heard their roars and saw them charging in close. "Tell me, son of Hydra. How do you think this will end?" A voice of magnificence, sounding older than the world itself yet full of radiance could be heard. Kyreg turned his head and bowed, Laneth catching a glimpse of a figure that shone so brightly it hurt her eyes, his armour golden and resplendent. "As it always will my Lord. With your victory." The voice laughed richly. "Then let us meet the foe shall we. My grandsons, my faithful Legionnaires. Let us show these xenos why it is the right of Man to stand first amongst the stars." A series of roars replied to the mans words and Kyreg and the others charged. Behind them could be seen Custodians in their golden armour, their weapons shining brighter than the sun in the light. She saw Kyreg take down xenos after xenos, his bolter thudding as explosive rounds caught the orks in their eyes, throats, and through roaring maws. "Your marksmanship is to be commended." A rich baritone voice sounded from Kyreg's left, a handsome bald figure standing a few meters taller than Kyreg striding forward with a crackling power maul. "I see my brother really did send his best to accompany us on this moment of triumph." Kyregs head bowed slightly before he resumed firing.

"Abbadon, carry my wrath forward." The figure commanded, and a large terminator, astonishing large even amongst the gods that walked upon this planet roared his acknowledgement and led dozens of black armoured terminators charging into the flanks of the greenskin horde. Kyreg advanced steadily with the other Astartes beside him, a firing line of different Legion colours and symbols. "For the Lupercal, for the Emperor, CHARGE" Their leader, a yellow armoured Astartes roared at the top of his lungs and the firing line began charging faster towards the greenskins. Blades could be heard drawn from sheathes and the crackling of power fields being activated. The next few moments were tense, Laneth seeing only limbs being chopped off and green and red blood flying through the air as the melee overwhelmed her senses. What she saw next clearly was a massive ork with almost black skin thrusting forward at the golden figure, charging towards him. Kyreg sliced through the ork infront of him with disdain and rushed towards the black ork. At the last moment, the ork saw Kyreg and roared, thrusting his massive war axe towards the legionnaire. His power sword deflected the first hit but the ork reached out and grabbed him. A large grunt of pain could be heard as the war axe was smashed into his stomach plate, crushing through it as blood sprayed from Kyregs lips on the inside of the helmet. Half a second later, a large power maul crushed the ork attacker. "Apothecary. Keep this man alive, no matter what." The voice ordered. "By your command Lord." Laying there on the ground, Laneth saw the armoured giant wade into the melee, the massive wolf pelt covered with green ork blood as an apothecary in seagreen armour quickly jumped to beside Kyreg and began administering to him. She could see Kyreg drawing his bolt pistol and firing at any orks that got too close, covering the Apothecary as he worked.

Her sight blinked to black again as this time, she saw through Kyregs eyes as he fired a bolter point blank into another dusk blue armoured helmet. "Kyreg! We must follow the Warmaster. Even our genefather has sided with him." A voice yelled as Kyreg turned his head and saw another of his legion. "The 8th has always and always will be for the Emperor." Kyreg replied coldly before cutting his brother down in a burst of bolter fire. "8th Harrow. We will NOT follow our brothers into this madness. We will fight for the Emperor as we always have. As we have on the first days of Terra when we donned our warplates. Chaos is no friend of humanity. Look around you, look at the madness. Our own blood fighting each other." As Kyreg looked around, Laneth saw that the Alpha Legionnaires had divided into two lines, hundreds of them looking at each other with bolters raised. "Do you wish to be like those Sons of Lorgar, preaching of gods? Or losing your mind in nothing but blood just like the sons of Angron. No, we are Alpha Legion, we are of the Trefoil."

"But Commander.. we have our orders. We cannot disobey." Kyreg snarled a little inside his helmet and looked at the Marines that stood in front of him. "This is your last chance Captain. The 8th either stands with the Emperor or we do not stand at all." The Marines opposite of him hesitated, and lowered their bolters. "We have always been for the Emperor. ALWAYS. No genefather nor Warmaster will sway us from this path. We were the Emperors Ghost Legion before we met our Primarch. We were his wrath in the shadows, coiling like the scales of the serpent. But this. You all know what this has come to. Even a single moment of treason is exile. You all know this." The Marines looked at him and some took off their helmets with tears in their eyes. "We have slain our own blood tonight Commander. How will we find repentance in that?" One of them asked.

"We find repentance in death brother. We find repentance in fighting for the Emperors dream. His foremost command to us was to take to the stars and illuminate them to the Imperial Truth. I have not heard any commands contrary by Him on Terra so we OBEY. We of the 8th will remain on the Emperors side. We will return to the ghosts from where we came."

The memory flashed to black again and this time she saw through her own eyes again, as if her mind was torn flying from the past and returned back to her own body. She took a deep breath and gasped, coughing as her body rebelled against the unwilling psychic powers that had flooded her mind. She stared at Kyreg and Thobor and fought to catch her breath. "Was that. Where the orks were. Was that the Emperor? And Horus?" Kyreg nodded sadly and took off his helmet. "Yes. At Ullanor where I last saw the arch traitor and the Emperor. Back when. Back when the Legions all flew the Aquila." Laneth stared at them for a moment and shook her head. "Why then. Why did you not go back to Terra and defend the Imperial palace? Why do you remain loyal?"

"Because the Emperor expects." Kyreg turned and exited while the psyker Marine bowed and left as well, leaving Laneth to stew in her own thoughts. Was it another trickery of the Alpha Legion? But those scenes, she knew that they were real. No illusion can fake the lumen of the Emperor, nor the greatness and wisdom behind Malcador the Hero. She looked down at her hands and dry heaved a little, her mortal body unused to seeing even a memory neither of the Emperor of Man, nor of the greatness of his favoured son before his fall.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

Viprus smiled at his gathered Warband. _Soon_ His sword whispered to him as he smiled at the pleasurable sensation that filled him every time the daemon in his blade spoke to him. At the front ranks was his First Captain standing by his Arenwing Squad, wearing ice white Cataphractii armour with golden trim and a purple stripe over his breastplate, a symbol of the Legion he came from. His Equerry Aristotle stood beside him with his bodyguards, Methusla Squad armoured in white artificer armour, with red trim instead of the gold that adorned the rest of his legion. Every left fist was the same red as the Blood Angels but each right fist was painted gold. A twin red and gold stripe streaked across their breastplate as well showing their role as the Consuls bodyguards. Behind his First Captain stood three demi-companies each of white armoured marines. Each was headed by a Captain in the white armour although they bore golden trim along with stripes denoting their heritage as well as their roles.

Behind them stood Rhinos with their engines humming, the occasional growl can be heard from the daemon-posessed engines. Then rows upon rows of Bloodsworn Infantry armed with auto rifles and stubbers while Chimera armoured vehicles stood behind them as well as large transport trucks.

"Brothers, today we go forth over the bodies of our enemies and we will embrace our destiny. We shall crush those who dare stand before us, the Angels Evermore and we will rule this planet the way we should have from the start. On this planet we shall be Warlords and Tyrants alike!" The gathered Marines all cheered as the more bloodthirsty Astartes clanked their weapons upon their breastplates. "To the pursuit of perfection my brothers, this planet will be under our RULE." As one, each member of the force gathered in front of the Consul executed a precise turn including the Terminators of Aernwing and the gathered host began to load themselves onto the various transport vehicles there. In scant moments, the mechanized force began to move onto the highway and make their way towards the southern polar axis.

 ** _Sushenge_**

The Seer held herself against the wall of wraithbone as her vision overtook her. Visions of death, of a great serpent that curled itself around the world as eldar corpses burned. Flames would burst into the air as iron giants stalked through the battlefield. Blood thirsty creatures followed their advance and the thirst of the youngest god could be felt by her so keenly. Then she saw chaos, signs of corruption and burning filling her sights while the giant serpent grew more heads, each head devouring each faction. The serpent grew to spread all around the battlefield even as war still raged before she gasped and almost fell. A green armoured gauntlet reached out and steadied her gently. Seer, are you unwell? The green armoured Aeldari asked as the Seer would reach out and grasp the wraithbone with difficulty. A seat was quickly pulled up by one of the aspect warriors who began to step in closer to hear the conversation. Yes. And No. My body is fine but my mind.. my mind cries. I have had another vision, a vision of death, of corruption. Of a giant serpent. The others around her bowed their heads at her words. We must make preparations now then. Exarch Wyndilel would calmly speak although those who know him could detect the slight tremor of his voice, the excitement of once more wading into battle. The Dire Avengers of Saim-Hann will ready the Starcannon platforms. Exarch Yiliea stated as she strode forward, her shuriken catapult cradled expertly in one arm. Her armour covered her lithe body quite well, lending her a fearsome yet at the same time handsome presence.

The Dark Reapers of the Occunis will light the skies with our firepower. None shall stand. Exarch Iosifine stated, her armour black as the night while her war mask seemed to twist its visage in joy at the incoming war. Glorious battle, we shall once more meet upon the anvil of fate itself Seer. That is a joyous event. Wyndilel almost hissed out, a hand reaching out to caress the handle of the chainblade that has served him well for centuries. The fastest path will never lead you true. A green cloaked figure would state as he stepped silently towards the gathered aspect warriors. A long rifle was slung delicately over his back, the leathery sling holding the weapon to the pathfinder. The outcast is right. An orange armoured warrior stepped out from the crowd. We must consider our position. We cannot simply take the fight to the enemy, we are too few. A golden armoured figure smiled, his warmask off for now. They shall come to us, and we shall present to them their defeat on a plate of doom, cousins. The Shadow Spectre Exarch stated while the Pathfinder looked him with a look of slight melancholy.

I do not doubt that we will triumph. But what is the price of blood that we must pay to reap this harvest? The Ranger would ask while the Seer looked at each one of them. It will not be that simple honoured Exarchs. We must stop them at any cost. Even if it is at the price of every drop of Aeldari blood. We cannot let this piece of the infinity circuit be taken by them. We simply cannot, the souls of our fallen to be harvested like wheat? The Chaos mon'keigh will offer our bounty up to the primordial evil and more of our brethrens souls shall fall to the thirsting beast. No, we must hold. The Seer stated even as she reached up with a finely manicured hand to cup her head. I apologize, these new events have weakened me and my powers. I'm afraid that it will be much more than I had thought and promised to you all. For that, I give my sincerest apologies. The Seer bowed her head slightly as she spoke the last part.

No apology is needed Seer. We of the Aspects must each come to grasp with where our path may end. The importance of this task cannot be measured. We are the only ones capable of stopping the threat on this planet, for if this piece of the Craftworld that had fallen here millennia were to fall into their hands and allow their disgrace to debase and vilify it, then no other Craftworlds will remain safe. The Dire Avenger Exarch stated. The Seer nodded her thanks and looked up through the canopy of leaves and branches. If this is where it must end, then it will be a price she gives willingly. She closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply, once again communing with the fates and seeing where each paths may lay.

 ** _Golden Wrath_**

The battle barge had begun its journey finally after retrieving all of its slaves and serfs from the small moon they occupied for the time being, its warp engines burning with the roar of daemons as a path to the warp was opened and the twice-damned ship would speed up through it. "Warsmith, I require a status report." Captain Prephas stated as he stood in the bridge, the mortal serfs slaving away at each aspect of the ships command and control system, each one of the crew knowing the path for failure while the chaos marines stood on the bridge. "Captain, the Ironwights are prepared. We are eager for this, eager to once again display the ironclad loyalties we have sworn to the Consul." Warsmith Gryshun stood at a control console making adjustments to the augers even as he made his reply. "Let it be known Warsmith that the logistical and technical skills of the Ironwights are still as legendary as the Iron Cage itself." The former Blood Angels Captain stated while the Warsmith bowed slightly. "The Consul has made his position known to us, and once we are in orbit over Tythen V, the Oathsworn shall make planet fall in support of the Consul. I believe the Consul wishes for you to deploy your forces to his position as well, although I leave those arrangements to you." The Warsmith smiled inside his helmet at the Captains orders.

"The Ironwights stand prepared, Captain. Has the Consul stated anymore of what is to be done on the planet?" The Iron Warrior asked while his left hand twitched, the servos in it misfiring slightly in his excitement. "There is a great treasure on the planet. Not just the planet itself but a piece of a fallen infinity circuit. There are Eldar spritstones that need to be claimed in the name of Slaanesh. At the same time, that piece of the craftworld holds on board Imperial relics. The craftworld was brought down by a Word Bearer frigate whos Astartes had discovered the craftworld by mistake, the craftworld having been damaged in some previous conflict. The Word Bearers rammed the craftworld and boarded it, destroying it from the inside and sending pieces of both ships down on the planet. This was before the planet itself had been brought under compliance. The disappearance of the frigate was not noticed as soon after we cast off the chains of the false Emperor."

The Warsmith broke into a large smile for a second underneath his helmet. "That means, there will be much prizes to be claimed then?" The Terminator Captain nodded. "And you will be promised your share Warsmith, of that I can guarantee. The Consul is quite fair to each of his Captains." The Warsmith clasped his armoured gauntlet to his silver-grey breastplate. "For the Consul and the Evermore."


	9. Chapter 9

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 9_**

Commander Kyreg looked at the Astartes gathered in front of him and nodded approvingly. "Congratulations, brothers." As one, the five newly war plated legionnaires slammed their armoured gauntlets against their breastplate in salute. "Brother Xyrin, you will be joining Sergeant Lefias as a lascannon gunner. I believe your aim will make his squad feared by any armour that dares step into your sighs." The new Legionnaire bowed as he cradled the lascannon in his hands. "The rest of you, you will form a new squad, the Ladon Squad under the newly promoted Sergeant Fratis. He is an experienced legionnaire, although new to his post as Sergeant. He was one of the original Legionnaires that hail from Terra itself. Heed his words and you will reap glory untold in the Emperors name." Stormeagles with full stealth shieldings had flown the exchange earlier, with Sergeant Lefias muttering while shaking his former squad mate and the new Sergeants hand.

The other legionnaires bowed while the newly promoted Sergeant Fratis stood beside Kyreg. "Sergeant. It has been a long time coming for your promotion. I know that you will do the 8th and the Emperor proud." The Sergeant bowed his head, the newly commissioned power sword decorated with the squad insignia of a blue dragon on the hilt. On the new legionnaires, each wore a newly bestowed power dagger as well as powers words taken out of storage. These power swords were all from the time of the Great Crusade, kept in storage from fallen battle brothers. The legionnaires also had their heads shaved and their facial structure surgically altered like all the veterans on board.

"Ladon is new, and untested that is true. But you have all entered the crucible of battle previous. Sergeant Fratis, you have always stood firm as both a member of the Taleon heavy support team as well as one of our Lernaeans. Brothers, you have all been blooded in the name of the Emperor both here and on the countless other planets before. I have faith in you. Sergeant, Ladon is dismissed for now but remain behind." The new legionnaires filed out while Fratis remained behind and unlocked his helmet to reveal a cheery smile on his face. Kyreg looked at his smile for a moment before shaking his head. "You always manage to be such a cheerful bastard Fratis. Mold your squad well, we have been in need of more Seekers." The Sergeant laughed and nodded at his Commander. "I have to be cheerful Lord, since you're almost as miserable as the Death Guard." Kyreg snickered a little at the Sergeants words. "Anyone would be miserable if they had a limp sack of pus for brains."

"What will you have us do? I've reviewed the training record of Sergeant Yingr and he was quite thorough. He has kept Nathun with him as an apprentice. He said that the new battle brother is an excellent intelligence operative. The others, he has listed their weaknesses and their skills." The new Sergeant clamped his stalker bolter at his side as he examined a map of Tythen V. "As they are all newly battle plated, I think that it is best for now for you to follow Xythos in operation." Kyreg replied as he began to mark various locations that he had discovered as loyalist positions, the few remaining ones on the planet. "What about the Inquisitor, Commander?" Is it wise allowing her back onto her own ship and her crew?" Kyreg nodded at the question. "I believe it will be perfectly fine. Of course it helped that we took precautions.. and her vessel is still docked by ours. The Gamma 6-7 have it under control. For now I believe it is perfectly secure." The Sergeant nodded and clasped his gauntlet onto his chest, the salute of the old Legion. "By your leave then Commander. I believe Ladon and I have much work to do still." Kyreg nodded before the Sergeant turned and walked out. He had high hopes for the new squad. Fratis was an excellent candidate, the veteran battle brother having been groomed by Lefias for years to take over as a squad leader. However due to the issues in recruiting for the 8th, they can only promote small groups of initiates at the time. The intricate training process and the experience that was needed forced the elevation of an initiate to a full battle brother to be a slow one. However the quality was not something that Kyreg nor Sergeant Yingr had been willing to compromise on.

Kyreg would hit the vox again. "Chief Apothecary." The reply came back almost instantly. "Yes Commander?" The Centurion was an excellent Chief Apothecary, having previously served as the apothecary of the 8th Shroud's elite Trideris veteran company. "The geneseeds discovered from the Outpost. What is their usability rate? And how are our other aspirants reacting so far?" The geneseeds had all been taken from the outpost and sent out to the Kilo Zeta in order to properly assess them. "We have had to get rid of five sets of geneseeds. The others can all be used, and can be added to our geneforge storage." Kyreg sighed lightly with relief. "That's excellent then. The other twenty five sets can be used then?"

"That is correct Commander. We do not have twenty five aspirants but we have the capacity now to create more." The reply came with a hopeful tone. The strike cruiser itself was made for an entire company of Legionnaires but it was housed by barely four squads and serfs now. There were more aspirants who have been implanted but so far were still undergoing training and were therefore not combat effective. "Good. Keep me appraised. We have elevated new battle brothers and that means Sergeant Yingr will need more aspirants to train and mold." Striking from multiple directions meant little if you lacked the people to conduct such strikes.

At that moment, there was a loud knocking on the door and a loud yelling from the other side. "Damn you Kyreg, open the door." It was the voice of Inquisitor Laneth although it was upset from distress rather than anger, the Legionnaire Commander noted. He would walk to the door and opened it to see the Inquisitor standing there with an ear bead along with the Krieg Watchmaster that seemed to accompany her whenever she went. The Krieg Watchmaster oddly did not have much of a reaction at their capture by Alpha Legionnaires, only nodding after being told of the 8th affiliation, understanding perhaps due to the unique history of Krieg itself. "Inquisitor. If you think that your rosette holds any real power here, I would suggest that you re-think that idea…" Kyreg would state loudly although not unkindly, simply a reminder that they were not the Adeptus Astartes that she was used to dealing with. Behind the two members of the Inquisition was Ulyr who had his weapons clamped to his armour, his helmet off while his face wore an amused expression.

"Commander, I tried to stop her but she insisted that she had the right to speak to you. I figured that you would prefer I escort her to the meeting room rather than to execute her on the spot." The legionnaire said with an amused look on his face. The Inquisitor turned around and gave him a look that could have blown a hole through a land raider before turning around to look at Kyreg again. "You said to me that you are loyal to the Emperor, Commander. You showed me your memories, and you showed me what the space marines were meant to be. Now you need to prove it to me. I have agents, and they need to be extracted. Kyreg looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a questioning expression on his face. "Inquisitor, my loyalty is to the Emperor and the Golden Throne. Do not think yourself above your station, you are not a representative of Him. That is folly that is punishable by death." The Inquisitor clenched her jaws and glared at him. "Damn you Kyreg, this is not one of your jokes. I have agents who have been compromised, and I need them back alive." Kyreg turned his head slightly and looked at her as he would walk towards a dais near the opposite end of the room. "And what do we get in return?" Laneth sighed softly and stared at him. "What do you want?" Kyreg thought about it for a moment. "Nothing. There is nothing you have that can be of offer to me Inquisitor. Remember that." The inquisitor stared at him in surprise as Kyreg would exit the room through another door, leaving her to stew as Ulyr walked off as well, his laughter echoing in the hallways as Laneth could only glare at the legionnaires walking off in impotent rage.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

"Moving!" The veteran Elysian Sergeant yelled out as he quickly moved out of cover behind the small vehicle and dived for the entrance of a small store front, hard auto rounds ricocheting off around him as he curled up as small as he could. Further down the street, Troiey was firing off carefully aimed single shots with his auto pistol, a small compact pistol that had a double stacked magazine which provided for sufficient firepower even if the former Arbite wished he had a bolt pistol right now. Just ahead of him ducking behind another vehicle, Silas was on a knee carrying an automatic auto pistol with a wire stock firing a burst of armour piercing rounds every so often. Cyprus checked his las pistol as the fusillade aimed at his position lessened and he would tilt his body just slightly out of from behind the door frame and snapped off a flurry of las bolts at the advancing white uniformed Bloodsworn troops. "We need to get the fuck out of here Troiey, I really don't want a bunch of Slaaneshi cultists fucking my corpse or something like that." The former drop trooper said even as he leaned back into the cover of the doorway to reload his laspistol. Silas sighed a little bit at the soldiers words even as he leaned out and almost casually cut down two advancing enemy soldiers with a quick seven round burst from his assault pistol. "You worry too much darling, if we're dead then who cares what they do." Troiey grimaced at the assassins words and leaned out to blast solid rounds down the street before dashing for another doorway and throwing himself behind it.

"Fuck it, let's leave Silas behind. He's the pretty one, they can have their fun gangbanging him until they get bored. We'll be at least a few hours ahead of them." Cyprus stated over the voxbead as he made a quick dash as well for an alleyway opening, ducking behind it just in time to avoid a long burst of stubber fire. "Well at least you called me pretty." Silas would reply with boredom even as he reloaded the assault pistol and brought it back up to stitch the stub gunner with a dozen armour piercing rounds. Troiey snorted a little bit while gesturing for the assassin to move as well. Silas would sprint past Troiey and gracefully dive over what used to be a street merchants market stall, kicking down the heavy metal stand that used to hold merchandise onto the ground for cover and ducked behind it. "We need to find a plan. At this rate, we'll be out of ammunition pretty quickly." Acknowledgements came in even as Troiey shook his head at what had gone wrong.

It was a rather simple intelligence gathering mission, they had been hanging around a tavern listening in onto a conversation between various military officers without any issues until a Bloodsworn patrol had entered the place. They weren't going to cause any issues until one of them had sat down next to Silas and made a pass at him. Silas reacted with disgust which promptly caused the others to get suspicious. Worshippers of Slaanesh were hardly picky when it came to such things as what the soldier had proposed to the assassin. That had gone horribly wrong. Next thing you know, Cyprus and Troiey were kicking over tables to use as cover while Silas had drawn two combat blades and dancing through the soldiers while dicing them into ribbons.

"Frak it. Silas, lay down heavy fire. Cyprus, you and I are gonna attack. Let's see if we can't stop their advance and cut them down." A quick blip of acknowledgement came from the veteran Sergeant as a reply while Silas loaded a drum magazine onto the assault pistol. Where the assassin had kept it, Troiey didn't want to know. He reloaded his auto pistol and waited for a few moments. The Bloodsworn troops started advancing closer and closer before Silas finally opened fire while Troiey and Cyprus both threw fragmentation grenades down the street. Two loud crumps followed while Silas emptied his drum magazine into the cultist troops, his auto pistol smoking as it sprayed a wall of lead towards the ones not smart enough to get into cover. Even before the assault pistol ran out of ammunition, Troiey and Cyprus had started to advance, both experienced gunfighters easily firing accurate kill shots while on the move. The two both hit the front line hard, charging over barricades as the former Arbite drew a shock maul while Cyprus revealed a rather nasty looking chain dagger that he stuck into the throat of an doubled over cultist who had bleeding sockets instead of eyes from the fragmentation grenades earlier. Troiey slammed his maul down onto a cultists hand, stopping him from raising his auto rifle before blowing his brain out with a single round from his pistol. Cyprus stuck his chain dagger through another opponents chest and reeled him in, pulling him close and using him as a mobile shield while he fired one handed with his las pistol at the other cultists. The sound of a stubbers action being cocked back prompted both men to duck down amongst the bodies for cover while a second later, the loud crack of the automatic weapon could be heard, the stubber rounds ripping into the corpses the two Inquisitorial agents were using as cover. Before the gunner could take real advantage of the situation and spray more rounds into the corpses at the two agents, Silas fired a three round burst into the cultists head, spraying the soldiers brains onto the concrete streets.

"Frak me, you're an Emperor damn poof but at least you're a dead eye shot." The Elysian Sergeant called out as he rolled up onto his feet with his las pistol held in a two handed grasp, the chain dagger having been sheathed back into his belt. "You want me to frak you? Maybe later darling." Silas replied with a smirk on his somehow still flawless face while Troiey got up much less gracefully, a stub round having ripped through the flak reinforced trench coat he wore and tore a nasty gash on his side. "You two can flirt later, we need to get out of dodge now." Ignoring the protests from Cyprus and the amused laughter of the effeminate assassin, he began moving as fast as he could, his side flaring every time he took a step forward. "Oh shit, you're hit Lamber." The Elysian would wave for him to stop, before checking the wound quickly. "If we don't die, we'll get you a bandage or something. We're not carrying any field gear." The Interrogator growled a little bit, and then grimaced, the wound slowly clotting but still bleeding through his shirt. "IF we live through it." The assassin chimed in as he kept the assault pistol aimed down the street as he joined them. "The only thing I can think of right now is to head towards the industrial area and get our hands on a vehicle then get the frak out of here." Troiey said as he holstered his pistol, his left hand reaching into his pocket and checking the communicator again. No message from the Inquisitor, she had replied an hour ago and said she might have some help for them. She wasn't the type to leave her people to die which is why Troiey had been so loyal to her throughout the years but with the planet overrun by Slaaneshi cultists, the Interrogator wondered just what kind of help they could get.

They managed to reach the industrial district a few hours later thanks to a detailed map that had been downloaded when they got on planet onto a data slate and the various back streets and alleyways even as quite a few Bloodsworn patrols could be seen looking for something. Silas had found an old truck and they had piled in, the Elysian choosing to drive it as Silas had the weapon with more firepower and the Interrogator needing to be looked at more thoroughly for his injuries. "You're going to need surgery dear, there are some shell fragments from the stubber. Must have come off from the jacket of the bullet they were firing, that's why it's not clotting." The assassin stated as he examined the wound carefully. "I don't have the supplies to pull them out though." Cyprus had taken the truck to near the outskirts without any issues until they saw the check point up ahead manned by a squad of cultists and two stub guns. They had almost missed them due to the mist all around this area of the city, moving forward and almost right at the checkpoint. The cultist leader would wave them forward, and Cyprus clenching his jaws a little bit before hitting the gas hard and ramming through the light gate they had set up, a flurry of auto rounds and stub rounds spraying into the side of the truck.

"Shit shit shit they had a gas line or something." Cyprus yelled out as he looked down at the fuel meter slowly moving downwards. He gunned the engine again and made it about three hundred meters before the truck shut down, its fuel now all gone having leaked through a hole in the gas tank made by a stub round. The three dismounted the truck, each hiding behind one of the tires as the axels of the truck provided the most solid cover. "Well it looks like this is it." Cyprus looked over at Troiey as he ducked back behind one of the tires after peeking out. More cultists had joined them and started firing at them, stub rounds and auto rounds pinging off the under carriage and ricocheting over the solid steel frame while the other rounds would punch small holes into the actual body of the truck. Silas shrugged casually as he leaned out slightly and fired an entire fifty round drum in a single burst, stitching the cultist positions back and forth for a few seconds before the pistol clicked on empty. "Well that's it for me, I'm empty." Troiey checked his auto pistol and fired off the rest of his magazine and sighed. "I'm empty as well." Cyprus look at the two of them and put in his last charge pack for his pistol and fired off las bolts carefully, taking aim to try and make each shot a kill shot before his trigger pulled the finger and nothing came out, only a small red light flashing a few times on his pistol. "Empty of charge as well. It's been a pleasure, gents." Troiey nodded and drew his shock maul. Silas drew both his combat blades and Cyprus twirled the chain dagger in his right hand expertly. "It'll be down to blood and guts then for us. I always figured I'd die because of sorcery or something, not from Silas refusing a man for the first time in his life." The former drop trooper stated with a grin on his face, while Troiey chortled at that. Silas gave him an unamused look and stretched out his limps while the enemy got closer and closer.

All of a sudden the gunfire stopped as the cultist soldiers began to drop from an unseen saviour of some kind. From the smoke filled fields, suppressed bolt rounds whizzed through the opaque wisps, each round detonating without a noise inside the chest and heads of the various Bloodsworn soldiers there. There was a scream every so often as a cultist met his end at the hands of a dagger thrust underneath his rib cage and stabbed upwards into his vitals viciously, his killer dropping his corpse on the ground before stalking away. Silas leaned his head out slightly to take a quick peek before moving his head back behind cover. "I don't see anything. I just see corpses." He would hiss out quietly. Troiey and Cyprus both peeked out and saw what he saw. Corpses, some with exploded body parts and others that could only be described as butchered. The three of them tightened their grips on their edged weapons and gritted their teeth. Something just look out an entire company of cultist troops and they weren't sure if that something was on their sides or not.

"You should put those away. You'd only hurt yourselves." A deep voice said from beside them. Cyprus as a reaction quickly transferred his chain dagger to his left hand and stabbed outwards only to have his wrist caught by an armoured gauntlet and had the long end of a suppressor shoved none too gently into his chest. The three of them looked and gasped slightly as they saw an Astarte with his armour covered up by a cameoline cloak, three other attired just like the one that had caught the drop troopers attack appeared in front of them with their customized bolters pointed at them. Silas looked at them and quietly put his blades back while Troiey grunted a little as he realised their situation and placed his maul back into its sheath in his trench coat. Cyprus looked at the Astarte who had his hand caught and muttered something about ghosts before dropping the chain dagger onto the ground. The Astarte withdrew his bolter and picked up the chain dagger, looking at it for a moment before placing it in front of the former Sergeant with an amused chuckle. "A fine weapon. Cyprus, odd hair cut. Troiey, bald. Looks like a woman, Silas. Right?" The three mortals looked at each other in surprise with just a slight insulted look on their faces. "I will take that as a yes." The Astarte turned his head, Cyprus noticing that it was probably a vox transmission of some sort before suddenly a dusk blue gunship appeared in the middle of the sky above them and landed. "Emperor on Terra who the frak are these guys." He muttered.

 ** _Kilo Zeta_**

"What do you mean they're Alpha Legion? How the frak are you standing there so calmly Laneth." Troiey yelled out in surprise, the Inquisitor having collected her entourage inside a large room with bunk beds and a few desks that seemed to be the allocated living quarters for the Inquisition faction on board. "Lower your voice Troiey. I don't know who they are. I don't trust them as far as you can throw a Carnifax –." "I unno Inquisitor, a few more shots of stimms and muscle growth hormones and .. sorry." Cyprus looked at the glaring Inquisitor and the Interrogator and quickly shut up, looking at his hands with sudden interest. "But I don't think they are aligned with the ruinous powers." The Inquisitor continued, aiming another power sword sharp glare at the Elysian acolyte before turning her attention back towards Troiey. "Have we sold our souls to the devil Inquisitor? Are we to turn radical?" The assassin had some how found a way to lounge himself on four chairs he had put beside each other. "No, I think and don't ask me how I know this, but I think they're loyal to the Emperor." The others all looked over at the Watchmaster who shrugged at them blankly. They had expected the Kreig Watchmaster to have tried to storm the bridge and detonate the cruiser in the name of the Emperor. "There's no mutation, corruption. They are… the Astartes from the times before. From the times of the Legions." The Inquisitor continued. "They showed me. Their commander, he showed me his memories, some of them anyway. He showed me enough to believe that they're no friends of ours but they're no enemies either." Troiey sighed softly and placed a clenched fist in his lap, looking down for a moment. "Isn't this what happened to Eisenhorn and Ravenor?" He replied sadly. The moment that the Inquisitor had asked the Alpha Legionnaires on board for help, he knew that they would be hunted down and captured, and tortured ruthlessly for any scrap of information in regards to them.

"I did what I had to do, to make sure the three of you were extracted." The Inquisitor answered, although a look in her eyes gave Troiey the answer to the question he had asked. "I do not know if this is what happened to those Inquisitors. I just know that I had a few choices." She answered and fidgeted with the rings on her hands. Her weapons had oddly been given back to her, and no attempts had been made to disarm the newly recovered Inquisition agents. Cyprus knew that it was because they stood no chance even if they attacked. Even if they managed to kill one of the Astartes, they would still not get off of this ship alive. According to the Inquisitor, their strike cruiser was under the firm control of a group of human soldiers that answered to the Alpha Legion commander. "Then what do we do next Inquisitor?" Cyprus asked as he looked at the group gathered there. "We do what we need to do Cyprus. This planet still needs to be freed from the grasp of the arch traitors, and I believe that the legionnaires on board are willing to assist us."

"At what cost? What is the price we will have to pay for their assistance then?" Troiey asked as he clasped his hands together, clenching his thumbs against each other out of frustration and a bit of nervousness. The only ones that seemed undisturbed was Silas, which was not surprising and the Watchmaster, which was rather shocking. "I don't understand still Veimeer, how you haven't been screaming battle cries and shooting at everyone you see." Cyprus asked, looking at the Krieg grenadier curiously. Watchmaster Veimeer shrugged slightly. "Their loyalty to the Emperor is no different than the same one that the planet of Krieg owe to the Emperor. Most of their legions have thrown their lot in with the ruinous powers but they have not. I have fought traitor legionnaires, and not a single one of them have shown themselves to be so… pure." The Krieg soldier shrugged again. "The traitor marines I have fought have been monsters. Terrible creatures corrupted by the warp, their bodies having spent such a long time in the eye of terror that they can no longer take their armours off, their bodies having been fused with suits of power armour corrupted by the raw energy of chaos itself." Silas yawned at the Watchmasters words. "You are so technical, Veimeer. It's so.. boring." The assassin stretched again and took on another lounging pose while the Inquisitor looked at him with a slight sigh. "Veimeer is right. I do not sense any difference between being in their presence and being in the presence of loyalist Astartes. Their leader reminds me of.. well. He reminds me a bit of a Space Marine Captain I once met from the Mentors Chapter." Cyprus gestured for her to go on, as he felt that this was leading somewhere important.

"I called him a traitor after they had seized the cruiser. He laughed at me and asked me why, so I told him it was because he was a member of a traitor legion. He asked me if I thought that the scions of the traitor legions did not exist anymore and I told him of course not. The loyal Astartes were created only from the loyalist Legions that stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium of Man. He told me, that with everything that has been forgotten by the Imperium, where even the High Lords of Terra had forgotten what happened after the Heresy, what makes me think that labels had not disappeared, been forgotten. Sudden stashes of geneseeds found and used. That makes me think, what had happened to the geneseeds? They're supposed to be locked away and never once used again. But why were they not destroyed. How many Chapters are there, that do not know of their parentage. How many of them have used the traitorous geneseeds and not even realised it." The others looked at the Inquisitor and thought about it as well. "I suppose that all we can do is to see what we can best do at the end of the day. We can't fight our way out and they saved our hides for some reason. What deal did you strike with them Inquisitor to save our lives?" Cyprus asked her as Troiey looked even more disturbed than before.

"There was no deal. I didn't even realise they were going to save you. I had asked. But their commander had laughed, had told me that I had nothing to offer them and walked away from me. It was only later that I found out from Veimeer that they had approached him and asked him. He told them where you guys might be and they tracked your vox signals that Veimeer gave them. When I asked their Commander why he was doing this when I had nothing to offer him at all… well. He simply answered that _Duty was owed only to the Emperor._ " Veimeer nodded at the Inquisitors answer. Troiey looked at the door as he thought about the Inquisitors answer. "I don't know what to think Inquisitor. I'm still cautious. I'm still worried. But if you don't feel that they are traitors, then I will follow your lead. After all, we're all damned anyways the moment we got captured."

"I'm glad you have such a positive opinion Interrogator." Commander Kyreg stated as he walked through the door. The inquisition retinue all turned and stared at him, Veimeer oddly enough bowing slightly. The Legionnaire officer had his helmet off as was usual for him. Troiey stood up and walked up to the Astarte, looking at him for a moment. "If you're going to attack Interrogator, it is usually advised to carry a weapon when you go up against one of the Emperors legionnaires." The Commander would say to him with an amused look on his face. "No. I just wish to say, thank you. I don't trust you Alpha legionnaire, and I don't believe I ever will. But I do believe that I should thank you." The Commander had a slightly interested look on his face as he nodded. "If you wish to thank someone Interrogator, thank the Emperor. The Emperor Expects, Interrogator." The Commander answered before walking past him to stand in front of the Inquisitor and her staff. Troiey looked at him gaping slightly for a moment before sitting back down.

"Inquisitor. The Eldar are on the planet and the arch traitors are heading towards them in full force. Even worse news than that, another traitor vessel just emerged from the warp and are heading towards the planet. I believe it is time that you started to contribute." Kyreg looked at her and the other acolytes pointedly. The Inquisitor sighed and rubbed her fingers over her temples. "What do you have in mind then Commander?" She asked as she looked back at the Astarte.

"I have my own plans Inquisitor. I can however place two loyalist PDF companies under your command for you to use." He replied. The Inquisitorial staff looked at the legionnaire in surprise. "My men and I have rescued quite a few loyalist PDF units and finally grouped them together into two infantry companies. They have been given proper weapons and equipment and more training so they should serve you well." "Why would you save them Astarte? What care do you have for mortal lives?" Troiey asked him.

"Why would Astartes not have a care for mortal lives, Troiey? We were created by the Emperor to bring the Great Crusade and the Imperial Truth to the stars. This galaxy belongs to Man, Interrogator. The stars themselves owe fealty to us. Why would I not have any cares for mortal lives? The Legions were made so that humanity can finally throw off the shackles of the long night and finally be united with a clear purpose in service to the Emperor. We are weapons made for that purpose. Some of the different legions, even your beloved loyalists believe that we are here to rule over man. The sons of Guilliman have their own empire carved out, the Empire of Five hundred worlds. Your space marine Chapters rule over individual planets like they are lords and nobility. They have forgotten why we were made in the first place, and that was to fight for humanity. Millennia ago, the Legions travelled the stars in hundreds of thousands and liberated human worlds from xenos and witches. Even Horus the traitor Warmaster knew that at one point, that we were not made to rule. We were made to war. What is the point of fighting if every mortal life in the galaxy has been extinguished through carelessness? The Emperor expects, Interrogator Lamber."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Shadow of a Doubt**_

 _ **Chapter 10**_

The large strike cruiser moved into the atmosphere slowly, readying itself with the orbit of the planet and syncing in while the crew on board began their procedures for orbital invasion. The space marines on board the Golden Wrath watched as serfs and slaves began readying dreadclaws for operations while other legionnaires directed the various armoured vehicles tredging up onto the loading ramps of Thunderhawk transporters, two of the Iron Warrior marked Castellan Rhinos easily fitting on board each transporter. Further down the loading bay, armoured vehicles chained down and taken on board other transporters can be spotted, the loading of such important weapons directly supervised by silver armoured Iron Warriors who growled at the serfs who worked on each vehicle. Hereteks of different markings all placed last minute unguents and unholy oils on each vehicle swarmed over the place while the Warsmith smiled with satisfaction at the efficiency. "Pleased to once again see your warriors go to battle?" A voice was heard from behind Gryshun, the Warsmith turning around to see the red armoured Prephas walk towards him with the ease of a veteran elite warrior. "Of course, it has been too long since the Consul has called for us. It is an honour which we must meet with Iron in our blood." The former blood angel chuckled at the answer and nodded his head. "I must admit, I do not share in the same.. practices as the Consul. I believe that Chaos is a tool at our disposal, a weapon same as a powersword or chainaxe. However at moments like this, I still see the benefits of the Consuls command." Gryshun nodded in agreement. "I swore an oath to the Consul because he got us off that daemon infected rock and brought the relic I sought. But if he seeks to become one with the warp then I would not hesitate to eliminate him." The terminator chuckled at the Warsmiths words. "That thought has crossed my mind before. After all, the number of those formerly of the 88th have dwindled down quite a bit. Are you not afraid that I would crush you right now for your words?" The Warsmith spread his arms around and made a deep grinding laugh. "Tell me Blood Angel, what chance does a single terminator stand against the Ironwights?" Prephas laughed as he looked around. "Tell me this Iron Warrior. What chance does the Ironwights stand against a Titan slayer?"

During the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, Prephas and those he led had retreated towards the Eye of Terror alongside the other Legions, removing any Blood Angel symbols from his armour. On Cadia itself, he had teleported on board with his terminator squad and destroyed a warhound titan from within earning him much regard amongst the other traitors he was with. The Iron Warrior chuckled again and looked up at the massive terminator armoured Legionnaire. "The question we should both be asking. What chance does a single over puffed Slaaneshi pleasure addict stand against a Titan slayer and the Slayers of the false corpse gods praetorians?" Gryshun had commanded one of the grand companies that funneled thousands of golden armoured sons of the Praetorian to their deaths in the Iron Cage, an event that had brought glory to all the warsmiths that had participated in that bloody lesson taught to the Imperial Fists.

"You are quite correct Ironwight. That is something to consider is it not. He has already lost a precious battle barge. Will our strike cruiser be sent burning out of the void next?" With a meaningful look, Prephas placed his helmet back on and strode away as Gryshun nodded slightly. It was true, the Terminator Captain and the Warsmith had both been sidelined too often, Viprus instead preferring to use his own white armoured Angels to divide up the glory and they often received the majority of the spoils while the brunt of any hazardous work was done by the Ironwights and the Oathsworn. Their numbers now were half of what it had been previous thanks to the wispy command methods and tactics used by the Consul. He had heard from Prephas that an entire demi-company had been wiped out in an ambush, a complete waste. Making up his mind, he would give subtle instructions to the Centurion of the Adrastos armoured fist for landing.

 ** _Sushenge_**

Viprus sighed slightly as he looked over at the forest a few dozen miles away, putting down the magnifiers as he stood on top of the Rhino that was trudging along the roads slowly. The combined force had been put together and supplied quite well thanks to the ammunition forges taken over in the capital. Bolter rounds were freely given out and each of the Astartes under his command had slaves each carrying massive chests of the rounds to their circles and supplied themselves quite well. He gave the order to set up camp, it would be at le He gave the order to set up camp, it would be at least another day to get to the edge of the forest and he wished to dine. As he disembarked, Aristotle was already waiting for him, standing in his resplendent white artificer armour along with his body guards in perfect formation even amidst the wildlands of the planets southern peeks. "Have my quarters set up Equerry, and I require refreshments. I thirst." He stated before the Equerry bowed, the Methusla body guards remaining with Viprus as the Consul began to walk towards the other Astartes that had also disembarked sharply. Each Captain was already pushing their squads out to establish security, the human troops being used as sentries while individual chaos marines supervised their defensive positions. Just as Viprus was about to greet one of his officers, the Astarte next to him dropped to the ground dead, a small hole bored through less armoured section around the neck killing him.

We must delay them. Keep firing my students, we will show them the fear they should show to the Outcasts. The Aeldari pathfinder stated as the two Rangers with him began to acquire their targets as well. With a quiet high pitched hum, the two Rangers fired their sniper rifles and another two of the augmented mon'keigh fell to the ground dead, their shots precise as they targeted soft spots of the armour. Wrafenblyde adjusted the aim of his rifle a bit and fired again, this time the bolt shearing through the eye of a helmet, the occupant dropping to the ground in heap of corrupted flesh and ceramite. Target the larger armoured ones, those will be the true threat. The Dark Reapers will be set up soon. The two other Rangers concealed in various tall sections of the grassy fields replied by firing again, their bolts striking ceramite and piercing through helmet voxes and the soft flexible sections of neck armour, one of his students even placing a shot worthy of a saga through the soft shoulder joints around the arm plating to strike into the mon'keighs chest. The mon'keigh had reacted rather quickly, each of them ducking down to locate the enemy better even as the human troops took cover. In a few moments however, a withering rain storm of armour piercing reaper missiles would sweep over the mon'keighs positions, the missiles easily cutting through the armour of the chaos marines even as the larger armoured ones took cover behind vehicles. Target the vehicle tracks cousin Reapers, we must disable them to prevent them from advancing further. The reply came in the form of a furious storm of missiles exploding against the vehicle tracks, the light trucks being destroyed. Just as quickly as it came however, it also stopped. Wrafenblyde looking at the wreckage through the scope of his sniper rifle and nodded slightly. Retreat now, it is time for us to disappe- Before he could finish his sentence however, an almost solid wall of lead was fired at one of his students positions, the solid slugs obliterating the section of the grass where Moelit had concealed himself. The veteran Pathfinder clenched his jaws as he saw that the Rangers life sign stopped, chunks of his fellow Ranger torn into pulp by the furious firing rate of the mon'keighs crude but effective weapon.

Moelit is down. We must retreat now Syrin. Wrafenblyde took careful aim and fired again, the round hitting the large armoured mon'keigh who had been firing the assault cannon, the round piercing through the underseal of the helmet and pierced the marines spine, collapsing him on the ground as his lifeblood started slowly leaking out of that hole. He quickly slung the sniper rifle over his shoulder and covered himself more thoroughly with his cameoline cloak and began to move, his sensors indicating that Syrin was also doing the same, the two Rangers making their way through the tall grass carefully until they came into sight of the Dark Reapers who were waiting in an elevated defensive position just in case it was the mon'keigh that charged through. "My sorrow soars with yours, exalted Pathfinder." Exarch Iosifine stated before gesturing for the other Reapers to withdraw. The veteran Pathfinder nodded his thanks as the Aeldari quickly began retreating. The losses were beginning to add up, more forces were needed. It was going to be a desperate fight but for the Aledari now, every fight is wrought with desperation.

"Consul, dreadclaws are approaching your position. ETA is ten minutes." The vox message was acknowledged by Viprus. "Once we receive reinforcements, we will give chase." He hissed, Captain Persedeus nodded as he examined his three fallen Terminator veterans. But they had done their jobs, providing a wall of armour to protect the Consul while they knew that at least one xenos kill was confirmed. Aristotle and Methusla squad had dealt with their casualties as well, and his Equerry would look around him. "We have suffered nine casualties total my Lord." Viprus sighed softly while Persedeus grunted a little bit, the Terminator veteran having been through too many battles to let the loss of a few compatriots bother him. "We can advance now Consul, we can catch them during their retreat from this ambush." The First Captain stated while Viprus gave him a bored look. "It won't be as entertaining dear friend, it would be too easy. No, we allow them to dig in so that we can rip their corpses out of the trenches."

The rest of the marines around him all growled with approval as Viprus drew his sword and the demon within growled at him. "Soon my beautiful creature.. we will feast on their souls and dine on them so exquisitely. We shall drink of the sweet liquer that is their lifeblood…"

 ** _Kilo Zeta_**

"Well Inquisitor. They are at your disposal." Ulyr said plainly as he stood behind the Inquisitor and her acolytes. Cyprus muttered a quiet "Emperors Blood" while Inquisitor Laneth glanced over at the legionnaire with something akin to wonder. In front of them stood four full infantry companies and support elements, essentially an Infantry battalion with a full Colonel with his command squad standing at attention next to him. Colonel Eli Strathworth saluted the Inquisitor with the power sword in his hand as the remainder of the battalion snapped to attention sharply. "Where did you find them?" Laneth asked the legionnaire who stood behind her with some satisfaction. "They are the loyalists we found on the planet and saved. Their duty to the Emperor does not yet end. They have been equipped from our vast armoury collected over almost twelve millennia and trained by our veteran legionnaires along with massive amounts of hypno indoctrination. The same method we use on potential Astartes initiates. The 27th Theta Grenadiers." Laneth looked at him impressed. No longer wearing the PDF uniforms, the Grenadiers wore carapace armour in a dark gun metal grey with fatigues with a light grey base with two different shades of green and two different shades of tan mixed across in various stripes. Instead of the auto guns previously used, every rifleman carried a hotshot las rifle slung across their chest with hellpistols strapped to their thighs. Support troopers could be seen carrying volleyguns or melta guns while a few marksmen were seen with long las rifles. Heavy Weapons teams set up had auto cannons and heavy barrel stubbers. "How did you manage to equip them?" Troiey asked, looking at their hot shot weapons with obvious envy. "Interrogator, this ship has fought enemies and collected weapons from before your family had existed. Do you truly believe we do not have the ability to manufacturer arms and ammunition on board?" The Legionnaire answered the way one might speak to a petulant child. The Interrogator shut up but still stared at the fire power in front with envy.

"And they don't seem to be aiming any weapons at you, Alpha legionnaire." Inquisitor Laneth asked as she examined the ranks. "They have been.. enlightened Lady Inquisitor." The Space Marine answered. Watchmaster Veimeer however had begun walking along the ranks, examining each of the soldier there. "Well it seems the Watchmaster is impressed." Cyprus stated while Silas simply looked bored, there being no place for the assassin to lounge about. "This unit is at your disposal, Inquisitor. They have been trained and equipped to the best of our abilities. Our own Auxilia, all veterans of special operations around the galaxy have served as their instructors." The Inquisitor nodded and turned to look at the legionnaire. "And why would you do this?" She asked, her hands crossed across her chest. "Because you lack the resources to carry out any operation. By giving you an entire battalion of loyal, well trained and well equipped troops, we are sparing ourselves from having to assist you directly." The Inquisitor sighed with annoyance. "I want you to know Legionnaire, that I detest your Commander Kyreg. It's typical of him to train and equip an entire unit just to avoid having to deal with me directly." Her acolytes looked at each other with pointed looks while Ulyr simply chuckled. "Yes. That's why I am here with you instead of him."

"Frak it ma'am, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth." Cyprus chimed up while Troiey nodded in agreement. "Besides, have you not seen the tanks?"

"The what?" Troiey looked over with no small interest, Cyprus having spotted the Watchmaster stopping in front of a large line up of uniformed crewman standing in front of a large line up of armoured fighting vehicles. "Yes. There is an armour squadron attached as well. We don't usually use tanks and neither do our Auxilia. However we have recovered a large quantity over the years in different battlefields and operations so Commander Kyreg deemed it best to train and equip armoured fighting vehicles for the 27th Theta Grenadiers."

Veimeer stopped in front of the armoured fighting vehicles lined up while turning around to look at the infantry lined up behind him. The third Commando was equipped it seemed with Taurox Infantry Fighting Vehicles along with Demolishers and Conquerors for organic firepower. The first and second Commandos were light infantry, while a dedicated reconnaissance troop were well equipped with Cameoline cloaks and las carbines, a large number of them carried longlas sniper rifles with suppressors screwed on at the end.

Ulyr smirked over at the Inquisitor and her acolytes who were now staring at the armoured vehicles sitting in the back row with a stupefied look on her face. "What do you think I am going to do, declare war on the planet?" Inquisitor Laneth asked with a strange look on her face. The legionnaire shrugged slightly. "We already have Inquisitor, so you might as well join in." Cyprus nodded in agreement. "Any chance we can loot your armoury too?" He asked the Legionnaire hopefully. Ulyr shrugged after a moment of thought. "I doubt the Commander will allow it. Not that I would blame him, Sergeant. I have seen the armoury on board your strike cruiser." Cyprus deflated slightly at the answer while Silas yawned again.

 ** _Three Days Later_**

 ** _Sushenge_**

Consul Viprus looked at the tree line, his battle group having finally reached the site where he could almost taste the spirit stones and the relics in the trees. Of course having the Ironwights and the Oathsworn here had made this process much easier. Warsmith Gryshun had deployed his Castellan pattern Rhino in a long line, the siege shields of the Rhinos opening and locking with each other, the Ironwights individual squads using it for cover. The tanks of the Warsmith were not present yet but that was unfortunately due to the roads themselves. Gryshun had informed the Consul that the tanks will be joining them shortly due to the roads out here and the firing position they needed to be in. That was no surprise, the Rhinos could only move at a slow speed in the open fields so the armoured force had to be dropped off a bit more further north to take advantage of the main road that was there. Of course the Warsmith's personal Land Raider was there, carrying Prephas elite terminator troops. The Eldar had already started firing at them, but their weapons had little effect it seemed on the massive armoured shields extended by the Iron Warrior Rhinos. The Heavy Support squads had been using them as fire while streaming heavy bolter rounds towards the treeline, pulping the trees where the Eldar had been firing on them which had cut down the amount of return fire considerably.

"Warsmith, let us advance some more." Viprus ordered, the Warsmith complying and giving orders over his vox, the Rhinos moving slowly towards the tree line while the Iron Warrior support squads kept on pouring firepower into the trees. A few moments later, they had gotten to within three hundred meters and Viprus gave the signal to unleash Tyranis and the Redsworn. Tyranis charged out led by their Captain revving their chainaxes as they charged into the tree line, some of them being hit and killed out right from the heavy Eldar return fire, armour piercing missiles streaking through the air to impact against their power armour sending limbs flying. The Redsworn Astartes advanced towards the tree line firing as they went, their advance being covered by the head on charge of the Chaos assault marines who were now busy cutting apart the Eldar skirmishers hiding under the cover of the woodlands. When the Redsworn Astartes had gained the cover of the brushes surrounding the large forest, Vipris ordered the Gelded Sons, his favoured warband to attack. The Gelded Sons were not a mixed formation, but purely former Blood Angels. Their armour although painted white, was gifted with the red stripes of a "pure" warband, the others a mixture of various traitor marines. As they gained a foot hold in the woodland, Viprus smiled and drew his blade, charging in with the Methusla body guards beside him. A blue clothed Eldar fired his shuriken weapon at him to no effect before being bicepted by a single sweep of his daemon possessed blade, a loud scream coming from the Eldar he had cut down as their soul was devoured by the blade.

"The foot hold must be reinforced. Advance with me Persedeus, just as we did millennia ago." Viprus would cackle into his vox while the former Emperors Children veteran gave a signal and his terminators would fire into the woods, spraying their auto cannon shells and detonating them amongst groups of Eldar they found. As they advanced further, their armoured boots stepping on the crushed corpses of the Eldar they had killed, the Eldar sprang their trap. As Viprus advanced even further, his blood frenzied warbands all charging ahead, they were suddenly fired at through their flanks, Brightlance platforms opening up and began cutting through the armoured traitors. With a tsk of annoyance, the Consul ordered that the Bloodsworn be sent in to absorb the Eldar firepower. With a loud proclamation of his faith in Slaanesh, the Bloodsworn officers drew their profaned blades and led the cultists in a mass charge into the tree line. However as the Astartes sent them forward, the first wave was caught in a massive firestorm as orange armoured Eldar appeared and fired melta lances through them, even some of the Astartes too close to the assault had their organs cooked by the accurate blasts of the Eldar Fire Dragons. As the number of Bloodsworn troops swarmed in firing as they advanced, the Eldar Fire Dragons began to retreat. The cultists gave chase only to be cut down by vicious bursts of armour piercing missiles, the Dark Reapers having waited for them to charge like so.

As the assault by the mortal troops began to lose momentum, green armoured Striking Scorpions would slice through the cultist troops, limps being sliced off while precise thrusts with their chainswords stopped the attack dead in its tracks. Viprus ordered his Marines forward and the attack eased off for a few moments as any of the green armoured xenos who did not immediately retreat were blown apart by bolter rounds. The chaos champion looked around him and spat on to the ground, the woodland floor covered by cultists corpses or pieces of cultist corpses. He would quickly give a signal for the Astartes to advance only to be caught in a second ambush. Ranger snipers fired effectively, their precision accuracy killing many of the over eager Astartes. Yet just as the Chaos marines got close enough to try and overwhelm them with more firepower, Brightlance platforms began firing again, Vipris himself receiving a nasty blast that melted some of the armour on his left arm. If he had not moved in time, he would be just a corpse now. Growling at the same of the attack, he ordered Persedeus forward. The loyal First Captain gave a loud roar over his vox as the Terminators would start charging even further into the tree line. However a few moments later, more brightlance platforms would open fire, the ant-armour beam weapon easily cutting through the Terminators, Persedeus turning around just in time to slice apart a green armoured Eldar before his entire body was melted down by multiple blasts from the Fire Dragons who had been waiting for the Striking Scorpions to distract the mon'keigh enough for the melta weapon wielding warriors.

Gritting his teeth, Viprus ordered a retreat. He was going to send in the Ironwights, let them take the damage. Even as the traitors retreated, they still maintained an extremely high level of cohesion. Viprus sprinted towards the Iron Warrior position and gestured for them to advance as well. Warsmith Gryshun examined the situation and sent a single vox message to his armour troops. As the bloodied Angels Evermore war bands began to appear out of the tree line, two blasts of a laser destroyer cut down his own Astartes. Viprus gritted his teeth and drew his plasma pistol, firing it at the Ironwights position. Sudden the ground underneath him exploded, the Ironwights armoured force appearing at their flanks and firing into the retreating Astartes. He turned his head just in time to see one of the last few Terminators being cut down by an accelerator cannon round that tore through the Terminator armour as if it was paper. Viprus kept firing at those that had betrayed him even as he knew this was the end.

Gryshun smiled. The irony of this was not lost on him as he had adapted the same plan as was used on Istavaan. The armoured trench line that was the Consuls salvation instead turned into a fury of bolter shells being fired at him. "Iron Havocs. Advance and kill that Consul." He gave the order right after Viprus and his artificer armoured veterans got into range. A sudden roar could be heard as auto cannon rounds landed amidst the retreating Angels Evermore. The Fellblade ShieldBreaker had already began attacking. The Super heavy tank was one of the pride and joys of the Ironwights, A loud bang could be heard as the Ironwight Predators began to advance and fired their high powered anti-tank rounds into the horde of retreating Legionnaires.

Prephas stepped out and smiled, giving a simple order to his terminators. Their auto cannons roared with betrayal, the auto-cannon rounds shredding the crowded battlefield. He made a point to stare right at Viprus, the Consul staring right at Prephas right before two Volkite blasts detonated his body, sending his corrupted to the warp for the dark gods amusement. "The deed is indeed done isn't it, Captain." Gryshun sent the vox to Prephas, who chuckled loudly and nodded at his words.

"Yes, indeed Warsmith. It appears that the glory will be ALL ours. No more begging for scraps are we." The former Blood Angel answered even as he watched the rest of the retreating Astartes being absolutely cut apart. The Iron Warrior Warsmith chuckled from the inside of his helmet, the Eldar seemingly realised that there was a power struggle and had disappeared into the trees. The Fellblade fired again and again, its cannons turning cultist and Astarte alike into finely chopped flesh as the shells detonate everytime there was a direct hit, the target generally one of the Angels Evermores tactical squads. "Now then, I believe we have solved our command problem." Prephas laughed at his words as he ripped through another few dozen rounds through the Reaper Auto cannon mounted on his left gauntlet, the auto cannon rounds detonating and sending shrapnel whizzing through the forest. The former Consuls Equerry screamed out his rage as he had reached the battle line of the Iron Warriors, having made it through the firestorm thanks to the power shields that the Methusla squad wore, the previously spotless surfaces now covered with pitted holes where heavy weapons had hit him directly. Other Methusla Astartes followed his example and charged the battle line. But even in the battle line itself, the tactical squads simply struck back with bolter rounds and chainswords until Prephas ordered the terminators forward. The former Blood Angel Terminators charged into the melee, their chain fists utterly destroying the elite Methusla troops, the whirring teeth chewing through power armour even as the power field around it collapsed and smashed through ceramite armour, the former Equerry screaming out his rage as Prephas shoved his chain fist into the Marines torso and twisted it around as the high revving chain teeth utterly destroyed the vital organs of his enemy.

"That is the last of them Warsmith. Now then, shall we take care of this Eldar problem?" The Terminator officer asked as he reversed the actions of his chainfist, the weapon spitting it chunks of hewed flesh and ceramite onto the grass. "Gryshun grinned and nodded as he held a hand up. Every Iron Warrior armoured vehicle loaded their main guns again and at his signal, a barrage of punishing armour killing shells ripped through the forest. The Iron Warriors advanced under Gryshun's tactical acquity now, Prephas advancing alongside the Rhinos while the Oathsworn Terminators fired their Reaper Auto cannons in long suppressive bursts.

We cannot hold them here. We must retreat Farseer. Wrafenblyde stated to the Aeldari leader through a telepathic message. The Farseer gritted her teeth as she watched the uncouth and warp corrupted Mon'keighs advancing through the forest. Abandoning spirit stones were perhaps one of the worst moral crimes an Aeldari can commit. She held on for a few more minutes in her belief that the Aeldari will be able to turn his around. However, the death of the Firedragon Exarch caused her to change her mind. Retreat my brothers and sisters, we must remove ourselves from here. If we die here, the spirit stones will be desecrated no matter what. No, we must retreat and come back with more force than ever. Various acknowledgements came in, the veteran Pathfinder nodding at her knowing how difficult a choice this must have been as the aspect warriors began peeling back. We must reach the safety of the underground portal. Iosifine stated even as the Dark Reaper Exarch unleashed another torrent of armour piercing missiles, hoping to slow down the Mon'Keigh if nothing else. However, the Mon'Keigh had also unleashed their gas masked cultist troops, the Ironsworn cultists charged forward while screaming oaths of death and torture at the Aeldari troops.

Seek shelter cousins. My time is now. The Striking Scorpion stated as he twirled around a clumsy bayonet thrust of a cultist before a quick flick of his wrist severed the chaos worshippers head. The other Exarchs all gave a quick acknowledgement before making for the portal. The portal itself would lead to away from Sushenge and to the mountains north of the capital city. Die well Exarch. Saim Hann will remember your sacrifice. The Farseer sent out one more mind pulse, sensing a peacefulness emanating from Wyndilel as he and his striking scorpion warriors placed detonation charges on the gate after the others had entered it and blowing the charges, rendering the portal unusable again. There he would turn to face his fate and led his aspect warriors in a brutal charge against the mon'keigh. While his chainsword cut through the multitude of the unaugmented humans, the fire power of the augmented Mon'keigh was being felt throughout those that had remained with him. He watched his students get struck down one by one, whether it was long bursts of bolter rounds or even by the dreaded volkite beams, he kept killing and striking until he was the only one left. He grimaced, breathing in deeply before charging forward towards what looked like an officer. The Space marine officer drew his chain blade and the two attacked each other. While Wyndilel struck with grace from different directions, the officer just parried and struck back with fury. Wyndilel shifted right just in time to dodge a powerful overhanded strike by the chaos champion while shifting his wrist and strucking through with his chainsword. With a loud growl, his opponent would smash a fist into his face, dropping him onto the grassy floor before he charged forward and tried to impale the Striking Scorpion. However, Wyndilel was still able parry the strike, even as he flipped himself back to a standing position. The minute he stood however, his opponent struck again, this time the chainsword being shoved through his chest, cutting through his armour rather easily even as the Exarch tried to parry again but his opponent was no amateur either. As he felt the explosion of pain in his body, he fell to the ground and could only think of how much he wished he had some more time, how he wished they could have just held the line. Couching up blood, he would smirk at the officer that had slain him before reaching into his pocket and held a plasma grenade in his hand and let it go. The officer didn't seem to notice, but Wyndilel was long passed. The grenade exploded, the blast was powerful enough to ash the Exarchs body, and to kill the officer that he had been bested by, the incineration powers killing him collapsing him onto the ground.

"We have taken the objective. The xenos have retreated. Now it is time to find the relics." Warsmith Gryshun smirked as he heard the reports from his units all around. Yes, it was truly time to seize Eldar technology.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Shadow of a Doubt**_

 _ **Chapter 11**_

"Theta 2 and Theta 4 are inbound. Theta 1 is in Cursive pattern, stealth fields holding strong." The encrypted vox sounded off in the Commanders helmet. Kyreg nodded and acknowledged the transmission with a quick blip. "Theta 3, and Hydra Fleet are in atmospheric holding position, awaiting signals." A quiet click announced the Commanders use of helm based vox, secured amongst the Legionnaires power armour based vox. "Strike Force Atgeir is enroute. Squad dispositions?"

"Gungnir is Green." The reply came from Sergeant Rythor.

"Ladon is Green." The newly promoted Sergeant Fratis replied

"Taleon is Pale." Sergeant Lefias answered, his assault squad also being pulled from the defence of the Outpost in order to engage in this operation. The Outpost itself had been re-secured, its armouries pillaged and its genebanks taken on board the Kilo Zeta.

"Excellent. Xythos is Green. Theta 2 and 4, start planetary drift. Theta 1, atmospheric drift. Theta 3 and Hydra Fleet, acknowledged holding, Temperance Drift." The orders were given quickly and concisely, a mixture of XX Legion battle cant as well as regular vox commands. "Activation Cerulean." A separate vox command was sent down to the planet itself through a highly encrypted order, Commander Kyreg patiently waiting for compliance. Fifteen minutes later, the reply finally came back. "Dagian."

 ** _Lorhenge_**

"Yes Lord General, the orders will be deployed accordingly." Galya curtsied once again, and exited the room as Lord General Crass Blythe nodding before going back to the various officers around the table in the meeting room with a large map in the center. "The Astartes have not been heard back from so we must reinforce the city itself. Gentlemen, the time for civil rule has long been over. Ever since our former Governor has been recruited by our Blessed Lords, we are the true administrators of Tyven V and Lorhenge. I decree the Bloodsworn until further notice on full deployment around the city. Furthermore, one of my most trusted commanders, Brigadier Osqar Kinley will be heading up my own personal enforcement unit the Eagle Eyes. They will be deployed around important command centers both as guards and the enforcers of my will." The officers around the table all nodded, knowing the temperament of their Lord General. It seemed that under the rule of Chaos, the Lord General had gotten worse. Much much worse than previous.

"Make sure your units are ready. Ammunition stocks are to be stocked to full, the new ammunition stocks should be arriving at each supply unit momentarily. Gentlemen, any insurrection or terrorism of any kind will be put down without any mercy. Dismissed." The officers filed out of the meeting room, each heading outside to where staff cars awaited them to bring them to their respective command sectors. The Lord General grinned and looked at the map at each units dispositions.

"6th Shocktroops, assigned to HQ Protection duties. 1st Company, North Perimeter. 2nd Company, East perimeter. 3rd Company, West Perimeter. 4th Company, South Perimeter. 5th Company, assigned to Mobile Reserve along with 1st Armour. 15th and 16th Companies, assigned to Nobility protection. Eagle Eyes, one platoon will be assigned to each perimeter assignment. Grenadier Company will be assigned to HQ Protection duties as well while 9th and 10th Assault Companies will be assigned to Reserve Holding." The orders were quickly typed up and given to the command centers vox operators. Each of them quickly established deployment orders to their respective units while various staff officers ran around the command centre checking on supply and logistics. Within the hour, trucks filled with stacks of ammunition were driven into the various assigned commands with assigned cult soldiers eagerly loading crates upon crates of ammunition. Large amounts of spare magazines were given loaded with these new rounds, stubber crews as well as heavy bolter crews finding themselves stacking crates of ammunition alongside each other. Many of them sharpened bayonets and other melee weapons in anticipation of any attack on the city.

Galya made her way towards the former governors palace, around twelve traitor Astartes standing guard around the interior of the palace along with a full company of cultists and a platoon of Scoparius battle sisters. They had been left behind to ensure that the city remained under the command of the Consul, although none had heard the news of their defeat. Jammers placed in subtle positions around the governors palace had hidden that news from the traitors inside. "Lord, I am here to report on behalf of the Lord General. Full defences have been raised around the city as commanded." The leader of the Astartes, a massive brute cradling a chainaxe in his hand and grunted before dismissing her with a wave of his armoured fingers. Galya was known to be the Lord Generals assistant and was therefore expected to show up at the palace every so often. She would walk past the Scoparius sentries outside, the power armoured women all bearing signs of Slaaneshi blessings. Some had fangs, others had a certain gauntness to them while others had grown claws.

 ** _Sushenge_**

"There it is Warsmith." One of his veterans reported as Warsmith Gryshun as ordered, the Iron Warrior Commander stepping forward through the woodlands to reveal a large section of wraithbone sank half into the humid loam of the forest ground. Although it had been millennia since the fragment had fallen to the earth itself, the surface remained unsoiled. A loud gravelly chuckle emanated from the Iron Warriors throat. "Proceed to excavate it. Bring me its spoils." With a bow of assent, the Astartes began shoving the human auxilia troops forward, power tools and machines being brought out as silver armoured Astartes watched them work. Prephas stepped in beside the Warsmith. "I do believe Warsmith, that the fruit is much sweeter when it is not buzzed over by flies." The terminator Captain said with a ferocious grin on his face. Gryshun laughed as he watched sections of wraithbone being cut apart and moved quickly. "Yes, they did die like flies didn't they? So tell me Captain. Are you to betray me next?" Prephas thought about it for a moment. "No, I see no victorious outcome for either of our sides if we were to betray each other. Here in the woods, my Terminators will wreck a bloody price on the Ironwight. With that many deaths, this treasure will hardly be worth it if neither of us have a warband left to command."

The Iron Warrior nodded slightly. "Besides, it has always been our way. I command the ship, you command the troops. Our arrangement has been… profitable for us." The Captain said while undoing his helmet and taking a deep breath, his augmented olfactory system easily discerning the scent of freshly spilled Eldar blood causing him to grin spectacularly. "Then let our Alliance be strengthened in blood then." The two Chaos champions chuckled in delight. Soon as more pieces of wraithbone was hewed apart by lascutters and plasma torches, one of the Astartes supervising the work teams suddenly yelled for a stop and gestured for a few of his squad members to join him. They would enter the structure and after a few moments, a large chest was produced and sent up into the structure. A few minutes later, the squad exited the structure and marched to the Warsmith, kneeling down in front of him and presenting to him a chest filled with dozens of soulstones. Gryshun grinned in delight before looking over at Prephas. "A worthy treasure do you not think so?" Prephas nodded as he picked one up and looked at it, even a non-psyker such as him perceiving the sensations of holding an Eldar soul in his grasp. "Any psyker or Slaaneshi worshipping warband will pay handsomely for this." The Iron Warrior nodded in agreement. Another few squads entered the structure and began dragging out corpses. The corpses were of the Word Bearers who millennia ago had attacked the vessel and brought it down. While they were only skeletons now, the arms and armour they wore gave credibility to their previous tasks. Six full suits of terminator armour, all reparable, were dragged out individually by the squads. Damaged, yes but with the technical skills of the Iron Warriors, these could be made whole again and their loyalty forced onto new masters. Gryshun chuckled deeply while Prephas looked at the suits with an air of abandon.

"Not to your liking Blood Angel?" The Warsmith asked while reaching out to touch the rare suits of armour. "No, they are not. They may be suitable armour but Cataphractii they are not. No, I do not believe I will lay any claims to these at all. But their weapons…" He would step closer to the bodies and pried out the rare weapons they carried. "Yes indeed, Volkite Chargers. Plasma Blasters. Those I will stake a claim on indeed." The Warsmith thought about it for a moment before nodding. "It is agreed then. The Iron Warriors will claim the suits of relic armour while the Oathsworn will claim their Volkite Chargers and Plasma Blasters."

"That is agreeable terms Warsmith." With a wave of his armoured gauntlet, Gryshun gestured for his warriors to separate the two. Weapons were taken out of the grips of the corpses while hereteks began disassembling the armour for transporation. "My Lord, there are more discoveries." An Iron Warrior Sergeant reported while kneeling down to the Warsmith. "Show me."

Large crates were dragged out bit by bit, solid plasteel cases that had to be pried open by power swords that finally opened to reveal carefully packaged bombs that somehow did not detonate when the ship crashed. Atmospheric Incinerator Bombs. Gryshun examined them and chuckled with delight. "It seems that the Word Bearers were to detonate them on board and exterminate the entire craftworld. However, they never got the chance to as their ship had rammed it." The former Blood Angel had figured it out. Boarding actions were after all what the Terminators were suited to the most. "Even Lorgar's cur can figure out a proper boarding action it seems. In between their slavery to the Chaos gods." Gryshun answered before lightly touching them. "Good. We will take them with us. Now, how the Eldar got away, I must know. We must find the source, and see it is something we can use." Prephas nodded in agreement. Six atmospheric incinerators, enough to destroy this entire planet should it be used. Or any planet quite frankly. But not enough munitions to render a planet unrulable.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

Brigadier Osqar Kinley examined the deployment around the headquarters and nodded once, the Captain in charge of the company saluting him before turning away. "I don't know why they need more than us to secure this place. We're the 6th Shock Company after all.." One of the former PDF soldiers now with debased sigils on his face muttered as he looked at the dark blue uniformed Eagle Eye soldiers standing in position. "It's the Lord General. They say that he has gone mad and distrusts everyone." The soldier standing beside him muttered back while slowly caressing the metal furniture of his las rifle. The new soldiers were all armed with freshly stamped compact autocarbines with large bull muzzles and drum magazines. Their CO stood next to the command center with a large customized large calibre auto pistol strapped to his officers belt while supervising the Command Centers. "This is bullshit, we are the most glorious unit here. We helped forge this revoluti-." Before the soldier could finish, his skull disappeared in a mist of blood and grey brain matter, splattering onto the walls as the XO of the unit, a Colonel Martha Raeynor had drawn her bolt pistol and fired a round into the soldiers head. "Talk like that will not be tolerated, Lieutenant. Ensure your men are better controlled, or I will." The female officer hissed, her fangs quite obvious to the Shocktroops standing around. Before any of the shocktroopers could shoulder their rifles, a large detachment of carapace armoured brutes would appear behind the Colonel, their bull muzzled autoguns already trained at them. "Go ahead boys, just say the word and we can see what dedications to Slaanesh we can paint over the walls.." The XO hissed at them with delight, her tongue reaching out to lightly lick her fangs. Seeing the officer blessed by Slaanesh, they relented and carefully stepped back.

"Summon all squad and platoon leaders, Colonel. It is time for our briefing." The Brigadier ordered. Squad leaders and platoon commanders from both the Eagle Eyes and the 6th Shock Company were brought in, most of the shocktrooper officers had their eyes blurred and dulled by whatever narcotics they had been indulging in. Many also bore ritual scars on their cheeks and bodies in dedication to Slaanesh. The Colonel stood behind the formation while the Brigadier looked over them. "Excellent. All here. Lieutenant? Over here. You are command staff now." The eager Lieutenant who had led the 6th Shocktroopers in the execution of Imperial adepts stood up eagerly, his officers sword having been replaced with a fine duelists rapier taken from some noble family that he had executed.

The officers all leaned forward with note pads out while the Brigadier gave the Colonel a nod. A quiet cough accompanied the Lieutenant falling onto the ground with a small hole above his left eye. Standing further up on the balcony near the command center was Galya holding a compact needle pistol. At the same time, the 6th Shocktrooper command cadre were grabbed from behind, hands covering mouths expertly while knives were produced, the Eagle Eye officers stabbing them quickly once in each lung, deflating them to avoid any noises being further produced with precise stabs into the base of their skulls, the sharp blades stabbing into the lower medulla cortex, rendering them almost instantly dead. The command staff officers all looked on impassively before returning to their duties. Around the command centre, the scene was being repeated everywhere with suppressed auto pistols produced or knives and any of the Shocktroopers found being quickly and quietly killed. Each thud of the auto pistol was carefully aimed by the Eagle Eye troops while knives flashed and sank into the Slanaashi marked bodies of the cultists. Brigadier Kinley stepped beside a surface to orbit vox caster and transmitted a single encrypted message.

"Twilight."

 ** _Tyven V Stratosphere_**

Kyreg grinned as the encrypted message was received. "Theta 2 and 4, Red. Theta 1, Red. Theta 3 and Hydra Fleet, Planetary Drift." He gave the orders quickly, the two Stormeagles now moving with actual momentum as the engines would power up and flew towards the capital. Stealth shields were on full as they began making slow planetfall. First was the layer of scorched desert that held the actual planet itself inside, and after moving through the hole created by the space vessels previously, they began to move towards the capital. Theta 4 would drift off towards Sushenge, into the various forests that were in that region while Theta 2 drifted towards the north of the Capital. The cloaked Stormbird looped itself around slowly about fifty thousand feet above the capital before landing slowly just north, the landing itself covered by a large forest as well. IR markers had been inserted into the tree branches above them, the two squads of Legionnaires quickly climbing down onto the forest floor while the Stormbird took off again, re-engaging the cloak after dropping off its payload.

Theta 4 drifted down slowly to just outside of the actual tree line itself, as Gungnir disembarked and made their way quickly into the forest where a quick defensive halt was done. Sergeant Rythor lead Gungnir into the forest where the four Legionnaires quickly covered themselves with their cameoline cloaks and melted into the forest itself. RV points were quickly set up in case they needed to move quickly, and marked on the maps that the squad shared over their helmet combat data systems. Stalker Bolters and Sniper rifles were readied and aimed over towards the south. Once the position was established and marked on the overall operations map, Rythor led them to advance towards the southern Axis of the planet.

Kyreg looked around as the two squads set up positions quickly. Xythos was a veteran squad, and were flawlessly deployed, each veteran Legionnaire watching a specific arc while Ladon was a bit rough around the edges. First combat deployment as a squad so it was to be expected. A quiet click could be heard from Sergeant Fratis vox as he checked around, the newly minted Legionnaires readjusting themselves. Kyreg nodded with satisfaction. "We advance." Kryeg took the lead, Xythos squad advancing steadily out of the forest, the capital could be seen just a few kilometers ahead while Fratis deployed his squad as support, following behind them with drum magazines locked into their stalker bolters. As quickly as they had advanced, Fratis kept his squad back and further off to provide a flanking attack if they came under fire. However, the squads all had their active camouflage activated and moved gently.

As Xythos quickly entered through a precut section in the gate to the North of the town, Kyreg paused for a moment before sending a quick vox message. "Cobra." The command was received by six vox sets that were tuned to a specific frequency and given a specific encryption. Thirty seconds after the message was sent, all hell broke loose in the town. Blue uniformed Eagle Eye regiment soldiers began gunning down the Bloodsworn troops in drove, drum magazine loaded autorifles spraying point blank into unsuspecting soldiers. Those of the Bloodsworn that began firing back with their new ammunition found something out rather quickly. The ammunition was made with unbalanced rounds, the hard rounds flinging away without any semblances in accuracy at all while the Eagle Eye soldiers had their weapons firing proper accurate munitions. It was a slaughter as thousands of lives were taken in a span of twenty minutes. "Castle." A reply came back and Kyreg gave a nod to the rest of his squad. They moved quickly through the Northern Perimeter, the vehicle control gate already wide open as the Eagle Eye soldiers threw a quick salute to the Commander as the Legionnaires proceeded through. "Theta 1, Red. Theta 3, Blue. Hydra Fleet, Red." He gave the orders again, the grand battle plan coming together quickly. Far off in the distance, Theta 3 quickly dropped down onto the roof of the military HQ, revealing the Inquisitor and her acolytes quickly dismounting while it flew off back up towards orbit. The three Thunderhawks landed in the town itself and disgorged its occupants, the 1 and 2 Commandos of the Theta Grenadiers who began moving into pre-designated defensive positions along side of the remaining Eagle Eye soldiers.

"Targets, standing sentry in front of the Governors Palace." Kyreg moved towards a piece of cover behind a large hedge and went prone, the other members in his strike team doing the same. Two traitor Astartes and eight Scoparius battle sisters could be seen standing outside, their weapons up as they looked around for the source of gun fire, as well as the multi gunship landings all around the city. The 1st Armour unit of the PDF shed their disguises when hatches opened to reveal members of 27th Theta Armoured Squadron, the armoured fist of the Theta Grenadiers. The Leman Russ Vanguishers and the Destroyer tank-killer armoured vehicles moved into position around the perimeter, orders being given.

"Engage those targets." Kyreg gave the order to fire and his squad opened up. Power armour was cut through with Cainite rounds, melta mini-charges burning holes through the power armour while the hardened adamantium cores forced the mutagenic acid into the unprotected flesh underneath. The suppressed coughs of bolters fired in bursts and the more muffled thuds of the sniper rifles rendered the palace sentries in barely stable power armours collapsed onto the concrete floors. Kyreg pushed his squad to advance, knowing that the real challenge came ahead. Xythos would stack up against the opening while Kyreg moved a pinkie to see behind the openings. In his helmet feed, he could see multiple power armoured opponents hunkered down behind thick mason work as cover, and he would look over at Fratis. "Auger modes." With quick acknowledgements, magazines were exchanged out for Kraken penetrator rounds. They needed ammunition capable of punching through solid wall, and each Legionnaire quickly put their targeting optics onto Auger Mode. Soon they saw heartbeats through the walls, the heartbeats of the Astartes waiting for them. Each Legionnaire lined up their targets and Kyreg lined up his sight at the head of one of the traitor Astartes hiding from behind a pillar. Each weapon was switched to three round burst, and every member of the strike team fired as one. Kraken penetrator rounds whizzed through holes made in the walls and cut through helmets and breastplates, dropping the defending Astartes down. A second volley cleared the main entrances before Auger was switched off. "Finish off the survivors." Kyreg growled as the two squads burst through the door way moving to cover each opening. Kyreg pushed Xythos forward towards the second floor stairs while Fratis led his Ladon squad to the Astartes that might still be alive. "Always finish them." He stated while drawing a power dagger and stabbing it through a helmet of a traitor Astarte who was still trying to reach his bolter. The rookie legionnaires of his squad all nodded and followed his example. Soon, each traitor had a hole stabbed through their helmets into their brains, ending any who might have lived. Ladon sheathed their power daggers and moved through to the remainder sections of the ground floor.

"Keep your formations loose, cover each angle." Fratis ordered through the vox. The marksman Polaris had swapped out his long rifle for a stalker bolt pistol loaded with drum magazines. Kraken penetrator shells were loaded into each magazine, the shorter barrel of the pistols needing more pure penetration force than the Cainite rounds. The Cainite rounds were made for a stealthier armour piercing round but had less penetration power than the Kraken or the Banestrike rounds. The Cainite round was made to kill things in armour but they were not dedicated armour cutters, although they kept a longer range than the Kraken rounds and did not wear down the firing mechanisms as much as the Banestrike rounds.

The walls beside them suddenly were peppered with a series of bolter rounds, a bolter round hitting Oronis, one of the newly initiated right in the side, the explosive round blowing a bloody hole into his side as he went down, the armour having stopped most of it but fragments still entered his body. Oronis clutched his side and leaned against the wall, his right hand still holding onto the stalker bolter with a drum magazine loaded in and depressed the trigger, returning fire through the walls in a spray of Kraken rounds. He acted as the squads support gunner, the drum magazine compensating in rate of fire for the harder hitting heavy bolter rounds. As he sprayed back through the wall, the others dived for cover. Fratis quickly gave a cross fingered gesture and Harvenn nodded and fired a venom grenade from his under barrel launcher into the room, a soft crump signifying the detonation of the grenade sending toxic crystalline fragments whipping around the room. Fratis scrambled up and pulled Oronis back under the undamaged portions of the wall. The injured Legionnaires power armour quickly injected him with combat stims and pain killers, the Legionnaire growling a little bit as the combat stims rushed into his blood stream and gave a thumbs up to the Sergeant. Polaris had moved up towards the doorway and with his bolt pistol out, sprayed the two Angels Evermore Astartes inside the room, the kraken rounds slicing through their power armour and sending them to the ground collapsed, their movements already almost paralyzed from the venom sphere grenade launched into the room. "Room clear. Two neutralised." He reported. Fratis blipped an acknowledgement on his vox before reforming his squad. At the same time, he would report the contact to the Commander who acknowledged with a vox blip. The Sergeant lead his squad further down into the hallway, this time with half prey sight on, the Legionnaires scanning each section before spotting more heat sources from the room at the end of the hall. Oronis lined up his bolter and Fratis gave the order, a long burst of Kraken rounds shredding through the heavy wooden door and into the targets behind it. Some of the rounds ripped through Astartes power armour while others impacted harmlessly against solid steel cover. Fratis moved up quickly to beside the door and slagged the doors lock into molten metal and kicked the door open, Oronis and Polaris moving in and firing in long staggered bursts at the Astartes who were still behind cover.

The return fire would slug Polaris right in the chest, his breastplate however holding as small craters appeared but it threw his aim off while three of the enemies charged. With a loud roar, they leaped over the solid steel table they were using for cover with chainswords revving. Fratis stood forward and instantly cooked one of their helmets with a well-aimed melta blast from his combi-bolter while the other two crashed into the two Legionnaires and began struggling. Oronis roared with pain as his opponent ducked underneath the swing of his bolter, and slammed his elbow into his injured side. However, Alpha legionnaires were taught to fight dirty. Especially ones trained by Sergeant Yingr. Oronis dropped his bolter and fell backwards, his opponent rushing towards him only for the Legionnaire to grab his opponents arms, preventing the chainsword from coming down before spitting into the traitors helmet slits, the acid etching the crystal eye slots and ruining his vision while he spun to one side quickly, dropping the opponent down. As the traitor reached up to take his helmet off with a growl, Oronis drew his stalker bolt pistol and put a single kraken round through his forehead, the impact jerking the chaos marine backwards and dropping him onto his back unceremoniously.

Polaris sheathed his bolter pistol and drew both his power dagger and power sword with surprising speed and stepped back, dodging the first swing of the traitors revving chainsword before hooking the hilt of the revving weapon with his power dagger, slicing through the traitors fingers and through the motor of the chainsword, the weapon dying with a sputter. The chaos marine growled and dropped it before charging forward to rend the Legionnaire limb to limb. With a smirk underneath his helmet, he side stepped the charge easily and impaled the incoming Astarte with his power sword. The blade only speared through the primary heart and the traitor roared at him to try and grab him only for Polaris to slam his power dagger through the vox grill of his helmet and upwards, the powerfield frying the traitors brain. Withdrawing his blades from the now dead chaos marine, he looked up to see a thumb up from his Sergeant and sheathed his sword with a grin.

"Lower levels cleared Commander." The Sergeant reported through his vox. Kyreg gave a quick vox blip back while ripping the head off of his opponent. A traitor Marine had stepped forward in relic armour and challenged him to a duel with a growl and a wave of a power sword. Kyreg had looked at him before blasting him with his under slung melta gun, the traitors helmet reduced to slag as well as what was left of his brains. The other five had roared and charged forward only for Xythos squad to open up with precise bursts unlike the melee that had occurred downstairs with the more rookie squad. The Veterans knew that honour duels were pointless. Whoever won would be so tired and fatigued that the enemy survivors would simply shoot him. "Upper level cleared. The governors palace is in our hands."

The vox report was sent to the Inquisitor who nodded as she heard it come in through her vox bead and gestured for her retinue to hurry forward. In the command center, bodies lay everywhere, Bloodsworn troops either cut to hamburger at point blank range or stabbed to death. As she entered the main command center, she would see that an entire squad of blue uniformed soldiers were there with whom she recognized as the Lord General Crass Blythe. The General gave her a low bow as she looked at him slightly confused. "My lady. Commander Kyreg sends his regards." It was only that he spoke that the Inquisitor realised that the slaughter of the Command Center had been orchestrated by the Legionnaire Commander. More reasons to fear him perhaps, or to not trust him. She would nod tightly and quickly reached the communication device that was promised her and gave her first order to the Tyven Grenadier.

"Cordon off the city. Shut down any and all exits and entrances. Work with the Gamma 6-7 troops to accomplish this. Reconnaissance Troop, move positions to city square." She would click off the vox and looked over at the Lord General. "Why do you owe such loyalties to those of a traitor legion?" She asked them. The Lord General looked at him curiously. "Why do you worship a religion created by an Arch Traitor?" The Inquisitor pursed her lips for a moment. "Because for all of its true creation, it has done good. It has united humanity, placed faith and burned a fervor for the Emperor. It has-." She would stop as she recognized the irony of her words. Nodding slightly, she sighed softly. "I cannot deny that I would highly doubt the actions the past few weeks as those of traitors. But they are the sons of Alpharius. How could you look past that? I do not know if I can." Galya would step forward and looked at the Inquisitor, bowing slightly. "Inquisitor, I understand where you stand and why you stand in such a position. Decades ago, the Commander rescued me from a life of serving the interests of only one selfish man. I was apprenticed as a death cultist when the Commander came in for my Masters head. For the crime of having stolen a relic bolter pistol used at Ullanor. I heard his words, and I recognized them for the truth that they were. Truth does not choose sides Inquisitor. I serve the Commander as my Lord and Master, because in the past few decades I have seen him do more for the Emperor than any loyalty preaching selfish Lords of the Imperium." Laneth sighed and closed her eyes, even her acolytes nodding at this. Troiey would begrudgingly nod. "I hate to agree with the assassin my Lady, but she speaks truth. Truth is blind as we used to say in the Arbites. He has orchestrated an atrocious battle plan but each partition was made to knock the traitors down. Those of his skill sets, there are many as you know that dwell as pirates or mercenaries. Those with specialist skills. Yet he fights here for no coin and you told me yourself, he even told you that we have nothing to offer him."

The masquerade Lord General raised an eyebrow at the last comment. "What did he mean by that? He desired nothing of you?" Inquisitor Laneth shook her head in response. "No. He said that he desired nothing from me. Yet he still rescued my acolytes. I believe … I believe that the Commander truly sees service to the Golden Throne as required. Even demanded." Troiey frowned slightly. "I wonder why that is. He reminds me of.. Emperor help me for this but he reminds me of Adeptus Astartes First Company veterans." Galya looked over at them and bowed her head slightly, repeating one of the Commanders favourite phrases.

"Because the Emperor Expects."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Shadow of a Doubt**_

 _ **Chapter 12**_

The town center was packed with its citizens all starring up at the Inquisitor on a stage while the Recce Troop of the Tyven Grenadiers surrounded her. Around them were surviving members of the Imperial Adepts that had hid during the slaughter. The armouries had been opened to these former Adepts and everyone from former Arbites that had survived to even Munitorium clerks clutched autogun rifles and flamers with grim looks on their faces. They had assumed that the best case scenario was Exterminatus, that the worst case was total rule under Chaos.

"Listen up carefully. Those of you willing to die for your sins, those of you who know what you did and had willingly stood by while your planet burned, stand to the right side. You have each committed a crime unforgivable to the Emperor of Mankind, you have torn away your loyalties. Make your choice now!" She yelled out, her voice amplified by the various speakers that had been mounted. A full quarter began moving towards the right after some thought. Most were parents who looked mournful at their cowardice, while many others were ordinary citizens who had done what they had to do in order to survive. The others jeered the Inquisitor, praising Chaos openly. She closed her eyes for a moment, this was to be expected. She quickly gave the order. The ones who openly support Chaos, were quickly gunned down while one side of the former Imperial Servants advanced with flamers, torching those unwilling to die for their crimes. An hour later, more than ninety thousand heretics had been put to the sword, they tried to struggle and fight out but the stubbers from the Tyven Armour Squadron quickly ripping through the crowd while the flamers themselves burned large swathes of the heretics. Those who had volunteered for death, they stared with horror, their eyes ashamed of the sight in front of them as they saw those formerly of their city killed. As the last heretic corpse hit the floor, she looked over at the ones who had wished for death. "You will all be screened for corruption. And once again you WILL serve the Emperor."

"Equinox 1, this is 11Alpha. Priority, large group of civilians with Imperial flags coming over towards the West positions. Interrogative, what are our actions over."

"11Alpha Stand by."

"Sir?" The voxman looked over at the Colonel who had a map of the city spread out. He was processing the message and frowned for a moment. "Have Call signs 32 head over in support. Have the civilians checked before seeing what they want." The voxman nodded and jotted down the command order before transmitting it.

" All call signs 32, all call signs 32, this is Equinox 1, Stand by for FRAGO over."

"32 send over." The crisp voice of Lieutenant Reyna Korvac could be heard with the hum of the Leman Russ Demolisher engine.

"Equinox 1, all call signs 32 is to proceed to west positions in support of call sign 11Alpha. Consider yourself detached from call sign 31 for the moment. Sitrep will be provided by 11 Alpha upon arrival, over."

"32 roger, wilco."

"11Alpha, Equinox 1 over."

"11 Alpha send it over."

"Equinox 1, maintain position. 32 is en route to position to provide support. Break. Orders from Equinox Actual are to check civilians for weapons. Break. Ensure position safety then find out what they want. Over."

"11 Alpha, roger that, out."

Captain Miles Tyrbourne, now in command of a company of well equipped and well drilled Grenadiers quickly gave orders much more concise than his years spent in the PDF.

"All call signs 11, this is 11A Actual. Stand by for orders, over"

"11 B roger over"

"11 C roger over."

"11 D roger over."

"11A Actual, orders are to stop the civilians through minimum force necessary. Break. Await 32 arrival to support. Break. 11A and 11B will stop civilians and conduct search. Break. 11 C and 11 D are to maintain overwatch. Break. If civilians are clean, 11D will escort them in, Equinox Actual will make decision after. Over."

A series of acknowledgments answered over the radio, a communication precision that was unlike anything previous in the PDF. But then again, these troops had been precisely drilled by not just the veterans of the Gamma 6-7 but also had hours of Hypno Indoc to teach them the more mundane skills such as radio operation and the like. Captain Tyrbourne led his platoon outwards to stop the civilians with open palms, rifles held in a non-threatening manner. The lead civilians would stop, those holding the Imperial Aquila flags setting the long plasteel shafts down onto the dirt while the flags fluttered. After a few moments, the Leman Russ tanks rolled into position behind the sandbagged dug outs and trenches held by 1 Commando, and second platoon got out of the trench and moved to where the Captain was.

"We were summoned. A messenger came to us, and asked us if we remained loyal to the Emperor of Mankind. He asked us, if we were willing to serve. We have come as per his summons." The man in front, a white haired steeled eyed older man with a stiffly held spine stated as the Captain approached him. Before the Captain could answer however, a soft thud made by someone who was so quiet but had to make a sound on purpose could be heard from beside him. Appearing out of thin air it seemed, Sergeant Yingr stood there along with Nathun who stood beside him in dusk blue power armour, their cameoline cloaks fluttering a little in the breeze. "Captain. I answer for them for I have trekked to find those worthy and willing to serve the Emperor in a time of need."

"I.. Lord. Your will." The Captain bowed and the two Legionnaires would lead the people past, the Grenadiers moving and opening a path for them as the over five thousand numbered procession walked past.

"Commander. I have returned with my mission complete." Yingr transmitted as the organized file marched past. Behind them followed dozens of trucks, unseen by the Grenadiers due to how far back the civilian formation had reached. The trucks were driven by some of the traders that had arrived with Galya to the city originally, now each hoarding a precious cargo. Commander Kyreg smiled and responded. "Sergeant. Your triumph does credit to the 8th." The Sergeant accepted the compliment wordlessly, although a slight grin appeared underneath his helmet. "I have secured for us as well, one hundred possible initiates. Lowest gene match is at eighty three percent, highest is at ninety four percent." The Alpha Legionnaire geneseed had a much higher acceptance rate than many others, an acceptable standard being seventy five amongst many of the former Legions while due to the better compatibility of the XX Legions geneseeds, the legion only recruited at eighty percent or higher.

"Once again you deserve worthy of your title." Kyreg answered, knowing how much the Sergeant disliked being called the Master of Initiates. "Commander, perhaps a bolt round struck you too hard." Kyreg laughed at the reply as the Sergeants protégé chuckled slightly, earning a turn of the Sergeants helmet as Yingr would glare at him although his eyes were hidden by the helmet.

The Sergeant had been sent out into the country side where research had found that many former Imperial Army Auxilia had settled here, their descendants now taking on the role of farmers while the city themselves were mostly filled with the first traders that had flown out to conduct commerce in the planet and settled there. The farmers and country folks were of a hardy stock, and loyal to the Emperor to a fault. Yingr had spent weeks scouring the country side, ever since his initiates were promoted to full Legionnaires and sought out new Initiates as well as recruiting the descendants of those former Imperial Army soldiers. The descendants still maintained a tale from their ancestors that had devolved more into legend as the planet had not been visited by any Astartes for millennia until now. The tales referenced the Serpentine Angels, those gilded in the chain wearing the colours of the twilight heralding the glorious dawn of the Emperor. The heresy had largely untouched the planet, the last Astartes on the planet were those of the XX Legion who had set up the Outpost. When the Imperium had arrived in a full fleet above the planet in the thirty seventh millennia, they had discovered a planet loyal to the Emperor. Swiftly installing in Imperial Adepts and the like, the fleet had moved on with planets in full on rebellion to suppress, forgetting this planet. The planet paid its tithes, and trade had flourished within the Tyven system and neighbouring planets.

Of course now the Serpentine Angels gilded in the chain had come once again and those descended of the Auxilia had kneeled upon seeing Yingr. And he had told them of the truth, of what had transpired. Of even what the XX Legion itself had done and what was to be done by this small group of the sons of Alpharius who remained loyal to the Golden Throne. Without hesitation, they had offered up those able bodied, those who had fired a weapon before, had served in the PDF previously as well as their sons who had spirit. Out of every single town they went to, they had gathered one hundred recruits, each having been tested by the bioaugar that Yingr always carried and those who had completed their trials the best. The rules had been simple. Out of the five hundred boys who had been tested and competed, many had perished. However groups of boys at random were chosen, a simple test of endurance. Squads of ten were to follow the Astartes at a punishing march across the woodlands, each allowed only a single canteen of water and the only way to be selected was to be selected in the top ten. No food was ever given although breaks were provided for them to hunt down any wild game they could find. No extra water was given although those smart had filled canteens at rivers any chance they got. Fifty miles and two days, without any sleep given and the winners had been chosen. Their training would take care of the rest, out of the one hundred recruits, Yingr would be quite pleased if even twenty made it through the indoctrination and training process. You can teach a man to kill. You can teach a man to obey. You cannot teach a man to endure however, and that is what was sought after. In the end, the one hundred were given food while the boys who had not made it would still be taken as serfs and servants of the 8th. They may have failed the test to be Astartes but it did not mean that they would not provide able bodied recruits to the Gamma 6-7 or to serve the Shrouded in other ways.

Kyreg looked at the men and women who had entered the town square. The trucks had driven in last, all forty of them. The drivers prompted dismounted and bowed to the Astartes Commander who acknowledged them with a nod of his helmed head. The Inquisitor stared at him with surprise on her face, not just at all the civilians who had been gathered here but also at the fact that the Legionnaire and his squads had appeared out of thin air again. At one side, it could be seen with Mytis seeing to the injuries suffered by Oronis. The apothecary was chuckling while picking out the bolter shell pieces out of his side while quickly sealing it with false skin and a dose of medication to force the augmentations of his body to go into overdrive, rapidly healing his cells. The Legionnaire would be healed in a day while it would have taken an ordinary man at least a week. Oronis seeing his wound patched, grunted in thanks before Polaris, his squad mate would seal the armour with a tube of liquid ceramite before torching the liquid, hardening it with a human sized flamer that he set at the lowest setting looking like a welding torch in the Legionnaires hand.

"Who are all these people Commander? And why do you insist on planning behind my back." The Inquisitor asked, although she wasn't quite sure if she really wanted to know the answer as she crossed her arms across her chest. "They are the loyal citizens of the uncorrupted country side, the ones that remained true to the Emperor and are once again here to serve." Laneth sighed loudly. "And what would you have them do then Lord Pompous Commander?" Kyreg chuckled at her tone and gestured towards the trucks. "We arm them. And form regiments from them. And we drill them in war. A storm is coming, Inquisitor." Cyprus looked over and nodded approvingly. "Arming the populace so we can withstand whatever is thrown at us. I like it Lord." Troiey nodded as well, in agreement while Silas had managed to lay himself down on some sandbags and stretched out there like a cat. "I don't like the fact that you plan behind my back. And you don't include me into your mission plannings. I didn't even know you had your own people take over the command center before I stumbled in." Kyreg glanced over at the Inquisitor and snorted slightly. "Legionnaire Astartes do not need to share their plans with an Inquisitor. And I believe that no rank exists amongst my Legion but Lord Pompous Commander maybe a battalion commander rank amongst the Ultramarines." The rest of his squad chuckled at that comment while Silas looked amused at the way the Legionnaire would snub one of the more famous ranks of the Adeptus Astartes so casually. Troiey had a look of mild disbelief on his face while Cyprus laughed a little. The former Elysian Sergeant had met Ultramarines before and fought beside them and decided that the XX Legionnaire was not exactly incorrect in many ways.

Laneth shot a rather dirty look over towards her former drop trooper acolyte before staring back at Kyreg with a look in between being impressed and annoyance. She placed a hand on the plasma pistol at her hip and sighed a little bit. "What do you intend to do with them then Commander?" The XX Legion Commander instead of answering, simply tilted his head and pointed out towards the center of the massive city square. The truck beds would be opened wide and crates upon crates of auto rifles were placed onto the ground, ten of the civilians each grabbing one of them until there were five hundred boxes standing in the middle, ten civilians assigned to each box. They would open them to open freshly stamped Armageddon pattern auto guns that they each opened up and slung over their shoulders. Then ammunition was provided. Instead of simple box magazines, crates upon crates of drum magazines were issued, attached to the civilians by a bandolier of multiple pouches, each pouch holding a drum magazine. Then last but not least, ammunition was issued. Shining brass cartridges were revealed as massive wooden boxes were offloaded from the remainder of the trucks and the militia began loading their magazines awkwardly but with a familiarity.

"Are they even trained?" The Inquisitor wondered while Kyreg simply waved Sergeant Yingr forward. "Of course they are Lady Inquisitor. It was a long journey. Two weeks is enough to show a civilian how to aim and fire an autogun. And more importantly, how to take cover." The Legionnaire Sergeant looked at the Inquisitor with a frown to his face that was hidden by his helmet. However, Kyreg had known the Sergeant for millennia and could tell his moods by his simple posture. "Sergeant Yingr trains Astartes Legionnaires, Inquisitor. I think he is more than capable of training militia." The Inquisitor flustered a little as the Sergeant simply walked away from her and turned to glare at the Commander again. "You know that's not what I meant Commander." The Commander simply smiled and turned away to deal with other more important business.

"Just imagine…" Cyprus looked over at the city center for a moment before trailing off. Troiey looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" The Elysian Sergeant gestured towards everything going on around them and then looked pointedly at the Legionnaires. "Just imagine Troiey, if this was all an effort against us. If we were their enemies right now. Less than twenty Astartes have their own special operations unit, set up an entire grenadier battalion with armour, and found a way to produce a five thousand man militia. That's what, two regiments? Elysian standard anyway. Or one Cadian regiment. And we still don't know why they came here in the first place." Troiey thought about it for a moment and sighed. "You're right. This is why you have to be careful of them. This… I can only imagine. No. I can't. I can't imagine how they have come here and fought this war so brutally and from the shadows. How.. how much death and destruction they've caused. I've never seen so much destruction even from one of the Astartes Chapters gone to war. An entire company but you can set up a sandbag, a trench against them. I've seen cultists hold off Astartes simply by numbers alone but not this." Cyprus laid a hand on the las carbine slung around his shoulders and shook his head. "Makes me feel like a child, Troiey. It makes me feel like I just graduated from the Elysian Schola yesterday."

 ** _Illiths Moon_**

The Eldar Cruiser glided towards Tyven V slowly, its Corsair Prince in no hurry to get there even as Galamon Loros sat there on the throne and looked at the Aeldari standing in front of him. "Tell me Farseer, why should an outcast like myself render any assistance at all to a Craftworlder?" His regal face was betrayed in his bearing by the scar running across his finely sculpted nose. "I am not welcome at the Craftworlds. Nor am I truly welcome even amongst the Exodites so I travel the stars, and create my own path. Now in your time of need, a Farseer no less accompanied by honoured Exarchs and the many warriors of your Craftworld teleported onto my ship by locking on to my webway. Perhaps I should simply have you all voided." He leaned forward, a look of amusement on his face as he crossed his thin fingers and rested his chin delicately upon them.

"We come in our time of need because it is not our own needs but that of the Aledari as a whole." Lilithfeon replied, the Farseer stepping forward and bowing slightly. Galamon looked at her with some interest and nodded, gesturing for her to go on. "Corsair Prince, you have seen the galaxy. You know what has happened since the Great Fall. You have seen Craftworlds destroyed and butchered by the mon'keigh, by Chaos, even by the Greenskins. However, today I ask you to assist us not for our own gain but because of what could be lost. Millenia ago, a mon'keigh warship crashed into a lost Craftworld, and while most of it was destroyed, a most important piece fell into that world. A piece of the infinity circuit was lost down belong and now, mon'keigh corrupted by Chaos seek to recover it. My first effort has failed, and I will have much to answer for but they must not be able to hold on to it. There are soulstones, hundreds of them that will be lost to us if we were to give up. So I ask you Corsair Prince to assist us, to look past our own quibbling factions and instead look towards us as a race once again."

Galamon nodded at her words and then leaned back. "You still have not told me Farseer, what I can gain out of this. You have told me why you require my assistance but as for payment, I have not yet heard your bid." The various Exarchs of the Aspect Warriors hissed at such a disrespectful tone towards a Farseer but the Bladesworn squad standing beside the throne with Direswords sheathed but carrying Spinneret Rifles stopped them from attempting anything further. "What is it then Corsair Prince, that you wish as payment." The Farseer replied flatly. Galamon leaned forward again and looked at the Farseer. "You are Farseer Lilithfeon are you not?" The Farseer nodded, wondering where the Outcast was going with his question. "My only demand for payment is this. Should we both survive the incoming storm, you will stay aboard my ship for one hundred years. My ship is named Liliths Moon, and I wish for a true Lilith on board." The Farseer looked at him, shocked while the Exarchs stepped forward, their hands on their weapons even as the Bladesworn bodyguards raised their rifles towards them. The Farseer put a hand up in order to stop the conflict before it got any further. "I agree to your terms." Everyone, including the Corsair Prince looked at her slightly stunned.

"I am gratified Farseer, but I did not believe you to be swayed so easily." The Farseer simpled look at him in the eye. "As I said before, this is not about what I wish, it is about the recovery of our peoples spirit stones, lost for millennia finally recovered to us. I will not let personal feelings stop their rescue, they have suffered away from an active infinity circuit for long enough." The Corsair Prince nodded, a look of respect in his eyes this time and stood up. "Very well then. To all crew members, the Liliths Moon go to war. Ready all battle stations."

The Farseer bowed and stepped back to where the Aspect Warriors stood. "Are you sure this is a wise move, Farseer?" Yiliea, the Dire Avenger Exarch asked even as she eyed the Bladesworn with a suspicious look in her eye. "We have little choice. We must go to war not as a Craftworld but as Aeldari." The reply came from Wrafenblyde who looked over at the multitudes of Outcast Rangers around. "I believe the Pathfinder to be correct as well." Constafrenin replied. The Farseer nodded in response to both the question and to the answers. "We have little choice, we do not have time to return back to the Craftworld to seek reinforcements. We must strike now. Did you not remember the storm of explosions and death the Mon'keigh launched at us? Even after they betrayed each other, the vision I had.. they must be the fire burning away at the planet." Wrafenblyde bowed his head in thought. "I believe Farseer, that the one we should watch is the Serpent that has not yet appeared to us. That is what concerns me about your vision." The Farseer sighed softly and closed her eyes for a moment. "Honoured Pathfinder, I must confess the truth. The serpent I saw, I could not discern anything of it. I tried to divine further into what it represents but I saw nothing, just utter blackness. Whatever it is, I foretell that the serpent shall be my doom."

 ** _Sushenge_**

"Make sure you get all the details." Sergeant Rythor commanded in a soft whisper as Brachus showed him what he saw through a small screen that popped up in his helmet tactical display. It showed an armoured column slowly travelling through the only road in the region; the Iron Warriors were here. Brachus replied with a blip over the vox and the scope cam scanned slowly from the start of the convoy to the end. There were human troops, cultists armoured with flak jackets and iron skulled helmets while behind the trucks came the armoured Rhinos and the tanks. There were two Landraiders, no doubt the expeditions commander and honour guard. Then behind it followed the Castellan pattern Rhinos, almost unique to the Iron Warriors. And before the Landraider trekked six tanks, two Vindicator Destroyers and four Deimos Predators. It was an armoured force that would be more than a match for the defences at the capital. Of course they had the element of surprise on their hands. The four members of Gungnir were hidden in the tall grasses as they scanned the convoy while Rythor came up with a plan in his head.

"Commander. Sending you details of what we are seeing. There are no Angels Evermore present it seems, only Iron Warriors. There is a lot of heavy armour though.." Kyreg looked through the video clip sent to him and frowned slightly. "It seems we may have to Enact Silver Blue." The Commander replied. Rythor chewed on his tongue slightly, a habit he has had as an Initiate that no amount of hypno indoctrination would get rid of. "I have an idea Commander, I can slow them down and do some damage. Weaken them before they hit the capital." Kyreg thought about it for a few moments. "Do it. Keep me updated." The veteran Sergeant blipped an affirmative before voxing his squad members. "We're going to follow them. Thankfully they can't move very fast due to the roads here but we will stalk them until they make a stop."

As night fell, the convoy rolled to a stop and pulled off to the road so the mortal troops can set up fires and eat. Even the Astartes on board would dismount and head to the supply trucks in order to pick up nutrient packages. While the Astartes did not have to eat very often, the Warsmith had established a policy of at least twice a week nutrient packages. The last time the Ironwights had fought on a separate planet, the Astartes had replied on the reconstition system of their power armour but that had proved inefficient in the atmosphere on the planet. As the convoy settled down for night time routine, Rythor gave the signal. The roads up ahead were rigged with melta charges buried underneath the road itself and aimed upwards. Lacking true mines, they were forced to improvise with remote detonated systems. Once that was done, Rythor made a note of the supply vehicles and marked them with yellow outlines as targets, the human troop carriers and the Astarte armoured vehicles were low priority. The troop carriers were low priority because they did not pose as much of a threat, while the Astarte vehicles were low priority because they possessed very little weaponry to actually destroy them. At the same time, the convoy was too heavily guarded to attack right now. Even at night time as many Astartes sat in their armoured transports and went to sleep for a few hours, there were still sentries set up to cover every angle. This was no chaos insanity, it was a neat defensive stop made by some of the finest siege warriors the Imperium had ever seen and fought against.

At dawn, the convoy proceeded again down the curves of the road. Pintle mounted heavy weapons were aimed to cover all angles as the convoy began the long journey back to the capital city. However as the convoy proceed a few more kilometers down the road, melta blasts were triggered. Supply trucks were hit hard, as well as a few of the Rhinos. The melta bombs were shaped charged shots that forced its blast upwards, going through the hulls of armoured vehicles and destroying the contents of the trucks. As the Ironsworn human troops jumped out of their vehicles in a well drilled manner, they could see no opponents. No enemies waiting to launch ambushes upon them. Warsmith Gryshun growled as he saw the results of the attack, while his force was previously completely mobilized, they would now have to march back as a few of the vehicles were disabled, and it would take too long to conduct repairs.

"Leave the damaged vehicles here. We will recover them later." A few dozen of the human troops had been killed which made very little difference to him. They had plenty to spare. However, the full squad of Astartes in one of the Rhino had been almost flash cooked in their suits as the melta blasts had ripped through the hull of the vehicle and cooked the inside of the armoured vehicle, welding the power suits into the metal benches on the Rhino. This angered him greatly, the Iron Warrior Warsmith seething before he ordered the convoy to resume. Recovery crafts from the Golden Wrath warship will be here to recover the two wrecked Rhinos. The other squad riding inside had been quite luckier, only losing a few limbs. They would be going back to the strike cruiser to get refit with prosthetics.

In less than fifteen minutes, the efficiency of the Iron Warriors had resulted in the now convoy marching off while the rest of the vehicles accompanied them. The human troops were needed as bolter shields while the elite Astartes would strike a killing blow. Gryshun was quite sure that whoever remained of Viprus mob would have secured the city quite firmly. He was just lucky that none of the armour had been hit, but insurgent attacks were to be expected. Whether it was a dog of the corpse emperor or an attack by one of the Angels Evermore survivors, it mattered little. What he was quite sure of, was that he had his prize and the former Blood Angel Terminator Captain now fought on his side. As he sat inside the Landraider, he quickly made some adjustments to the battle plan to account for the battle damaged vehicles and knew that the efficiency would be reduced only a little.

Two hours later, a two gunships painted in the grey of the Iron Warriors landed beside the wreckages of the one dead and one damaged Rhino. Castellan Rhinos were quite hard to come by now, but that was going to be changed once the Warsmith had his triumph. The two Iron Warriors who accompanied the expedition grunted and directly both Rhinos to be loaded on board. They had checked the first few power armoured bodies and saw that they had been flash welded on and decided not to attempt extraction now, as the entire interior compartment would have to be taken apart to weld on a new floor plate and replace the damaged electrical components inside. The chaos slave-cultists worked quickly and used the tow winch in the Thunderhawk gunship to pull both vehicles into the holding bay while the two Iron Warriors sat inside as an escort. The gunships took off and headed up towards orbit to dock with the Strike Cruiser.

"Two Astartes outside. Three chapter serfs piloting and manning the weapon systems. On my mark." The command came as a whisper through the vox helms of the four torched power armours deepest inside the blown out Rhino. Rythor looked through the Rhino viewing port and saw that one of the Astartes was on the left side and one was on the right. Mychil and the Sergeant both quickly activated their stealth camouflage and climbed out of the Rhinos as silent as can be. Thankfully, the noise of the Thunderhawk engines hid their approach. Striking at the same time, both veteran Legionnaires struck with their power daggers, the daggers easily penetrating the neck seals of both traitor Astartes straight into their spines and up into their brains, ceasing their movements instantly. As each struck, they also reached out and grasped a hold of the bodies and dragged them back into the Rhino where helmets were unsealed removed, and skulls were cut open. "I really dislike this part." Mychil stated, making a face while Rythor looked at the dead traitor with disgust after cutting his skull apart and both made use of their omophagea implants with disgust. "Alright Brother Holstrin. And I am Brother Breins. Disgusting." Rythor remarked while helmets were re-attached, for themselves and the dead traitors. The dead traitors were stuck back into the Rhino, and an under barrel Melta welded the power armour into the metal bench seats again while the two Legionnaires sat down and took their positions inside the Thunderhawk. Phase two was about to begin.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 13_**

A few days later, the killing started. The Iron Warrior armoured vehicles had advanced towards the firing zone of the town but held their fire while entire companies of the Ironsworn human troops were lined up in assault formations. Last minute orders were given as mortar barrages began firing. Kyreg had already anticipated the assault, having ordered trenches be dug all along the towns natural defensive zones. While the militia did not possess any true heavy weapons, Theta Grenadiers were kept as heavy weapon teams for each divided platoon. The orders were simple; Hold the line. Theta Grenadiers sat behind heavy bolter and auto cannon emplacements, with las cannon teams held further back to take advantage of their range. Platoons of Gamma 6-7 troops were held in reserve in case of break through while the Theta Armour Squadron had two of their armour troops hatches down and dug in against vehicle trenches created by plow blades. One of their armour troops sat ready to reinforce any critical points with pin point fire. It was not comparable to something that could have been prepared by the VII Legion but it would do. It would have to do. As Kyreg himself knew very well, if you intended to hold territory, you had to dig in and fight for it at times. Only when you have resisted the assault can you then launch a counter-attack and fight to the strengths of the XX.

Ironsworn troops advanced towards them as cultist champions screamed their foul benedictions to their dark gods and las bolts began whipping past as assaulting troops began advancing under the cover of mortar fire. Bursts of shrapnel filled the air but were harmlessly deflected by the flakboards set up to close over the trenches. In the city itself, spotters were assigned to each trench line along with marksmen teams in order to engage priority targets as well as direct fire. The Inquisitor stood next to Kyreg in the command tent nervously, her first true taste of battle. She had stood above in Imperial Navy warships before simply waiting to be told when the battle was over, or be updated on the results. "I can smell the fear from you Inquisitor." Kyreg commented even as he kept his attention on the massive digital map erected on the wall. Around them, scores of uniformed staff officers took reports and relayed orders to each formation down to the platoon. Precision small unit tactics, that was what won wars. Firepower helped but being able to direct each platoon with orders differing only slightly from the one next to them also linked regimental level firepower to each platoon, firing in order of priority. While the trenches were staffed with over five thousand militia armed with auto guns and grenades, the strategic level assets were staffed all by the veteran special operators of the Gamma 6-7 or by the 27th Theta Grenadiers. The Inquisitor looked at the Commander and sighed softly. "We are not all Astartes, Commander. Fear is natural to the human condition. This is not my kind of war… and I am unable to change anything." Kyreg shrugged a little and gestured around her. "Fear is natural to the human condition, Inquisitor. But you are a child of the Sigilite, and you are expected to rise above that. The Sigilite that I remember feared only letting down the Emperor of Mankind." Laneth nodded stiffly before sitting down at a desk and looked around at the map. Her Acolytes had all been sent in with a special mission unit of the Gamma 6-7 on a hunter killer mission. Hunt and kill down any leaders they see.

"On my mark, targets range 1102 meters. Priority targets directing troops. Shooter 1, left officer with chainsword. Shooter 2, center officer with plasma pistol. Shooter 3, vox operator center right. Shooter 4, rocket launcher operator far right. No wind, temperature within parameters. Humidity within parameters." The Gamma operator stated as Cyprus, Silas and two other Gamma marksmen sighted down the barrels of their long las sniper rifles. Troiey laid down next to the spotter with a volleygun and wearing carapace armour, the familiarity of the stormtrooper armour belayed slightly by the battery backpack he carried for the volleygun. "Fire fire fire." The four marksmen fired as one, their las bolts striking their targets as almost one. Cyprus grinned a little as he watched his target drop his chainsword as his las bolt exploded the officers chest, turning his internal organs into ash. "Re-position, peel in order." The spotter ordered, no rank pins on his uniform anywhere but seemed to be the officer in charge. The marksmen got up first and moved back from the window they were shooting from, moving down stairs followed by the Spotter and Troiey, along with a few more hellgun bearing Gamma operators. The Spotter checked his map again quickly and gestured towards a low level apartment complex and gave the order to move. As professional as any stormtrooper units he had ever seen, the Gamma operators moved quickly and efficiently. "Throne, these guys move like pros." Cyprus commented as he jogged beside Silas following the Gamma marksmen up the stairs into the apartment building. They began setting up again, cameoline cloaks covering themselves while their las rifles were spray painted with dark stripes of varying colours and shades, as well as bits of cameoline cut in strips and wrapped around various parts of their rifles. Instead of leaning out the window like many Guard marksmen, they quickly set up far behind the window, resting their rifles on their assault packs and tables they found, while the Spotter and the protection team kept themselves in the hallways except for Troiey who followed the Spotter to a window where he leaned under, keeping his hands on the volleygun while the spotter wrapped himself in a cameoline cloak and looked out through his binos again.

"Alright boys, looks like we got some spotters to take off. They're spotting for the mortars firing into our position right now. We got… targets from left to right, one hundred meters behind the advancing infantry line. Mortars are further back but 1700 meters is too far to push it. We can stay at the 1200 mark and engage the spotters. Once we fire, we move again so let's say hello quick and bugger." The spotter stated as he leaned down and laid out a map, marking positions on a range card he held. "Alright. Targets, from left to right. 1214 meters. Priority targets spotting for mortar fire. No wind, low particle dispersion. Fire when ready." The Gamma marksmen got to work quickly, firing carefully aimed las bolts into the grey uniformed enemy spotters. Silas fired quickly as well, leaving Cyprus to fire at a slower rate. There were rare for any to be misses although Cyprus noticed any misses were quickly adjusted by the Spotter. An occasional "Shot, two inches left." Or "Shot, six inches high." The former Elysian drop trooper was impressed; he had seen Scions with less finesse than these guys here. It made him wonder who they were, and how they had gotten this way.

As spotters were taken out quickly, the mortar fire slowed down to a trickle, but the infantry line had almost made it to the trench line about one hundred meters away before the spotters for each trenches gave the commands to repel. Flak boards were lifted and militia members as well as Theta Grenadiers stepped onto the firing parapets and unleashed firepower at close range. It was a carefully calculated strategy, at one hundred meters the accuracy rate of the militia would be acceptable, combined with the large drum magazines and the skill of the Theta Grenadier weapon teams. It worked great against their human enemies. In the first few seconds, dozens were cut down by bursts of auto gun fire, the militia members bracing their guns against the sandbags lining the top of the trenches. The Grenadiers fired much more precisely, short five round bursts from the heavy bolter teams while the auto cannon teams fired in concentration. Any area that held more than three enemy troops were targeted with more precise single shots of their cannons. Occasionally, a las cannon bolt would flash past friend and foe alike to strike at Chimeras that had made it up to dismount more cultist troops. However the Ironsworn were not just mindless chaos worshippers, they were still the Auxilia troops drilled mercilessly by the Iron Warriors. Soon their heavy weapons opened up, stub guns firing in long suppressing bursts while troops armed with grenade launchers would fire at the trenches sending limbs and body fluids spraying across trenches.

Soon after, the armour engaged. The Ironsworn troops had their Leman Russ battle tanks flying large flags with the eight pointed star of Chaos as well as the flag of the Iron Warriors advanced towards battle lines, their battle cannon disintegrating trenches as they fired. In response, the Theta Armour Squadrons fired back with the Vanquisher cannons, knocking them out as they appeared while occasional bright bursts of a laser destroyer gun would emerge from the sleek hulled armoured destroyers dug in. The Chaos battle tanks would return fire, but the dug in Theta armour had already been prepared for such an event. Sandbags tied down onto large flak boards had been stacked onto the dug in vehicles, detonating the enemy shells early and sending only blasts of sand upwards, concealing their positions even more.

Kyreg looked at the battle map and nodded slightly. Their strategy so far was working against the human troops but against the Astartes? Well, that might be a different story. The Chaos Commander seemed to have a similar idea and enemy formations began to move. A section of the trenches was target specifically and blasted to hell by the enemy battle cannons, the attacking Ironsworn cultists attacking that point and that point only. Of course, Kyreg only expected this to happen. Behind the Ironsworn cultists marched the Iron Warriors in squads, firing their bolters and heavy weapons as they advanced. The smarter militia members ducked back behind the trench lines while those who didn't were pulped by the combination of either the accurate marksmanship of the Iron Warrior bolters or by the heavy bolters and auto cannons of the heavy weapon teams. This sight caused the militia to give ground, retreating back towards the safety of the buildings situated behind the trench lines while the Theta Grenadier weapon teams did the same, cursing as the militia positions were pounded by the Iron Warriors and the Ironsworn cultists. The XX Legion Commander however, simply smiled and nodded before giving sending a pre-programmed signal to orbit.

The Ironsworn roared their triumph to the skies as they charged, bayonets first stabbing into wounded militia members, gutting them as they whet their blades with Imperial blood. Behind them, the Iron Warriors advanced slower, but steadier. Firing at targets as bolter rounds exploded open chest cavities and blasted off limbs with their mass reactive shells. All of a sudden as one, from under the battlefield all over, Tarantula sentry guns quickly activated. Hidden by cameoline nettings, assault cannons, heavy bolters and las cannons roared to life as the advancing human cultist troops were ripped apart by a combination of solid slug rounds and mass reactive shells while the las cannon bolts ripped into any armour it saw. The Iron Warrior Astartes quickly took cover and fired back using the heavier Astartes armour as cover but the cultist troops had no such cover. By the time the last sentry gun had been destroyed by the Iron Warriors, the only human troops left form the Ironsworn were crawling on the ground holding stumps where limbs used to be, or their hands holding their entrails.

"I believe it is time for us to join the battle." Kyreg said to the command tent before disappearing through the tent flap, followed by the rest of Xythos squad who had turned wordlessly when the Commander had started walking towards the tent. As they left, the Inquisitor shivered slightly. There was something cold about the way the Commander went to war, it had none of the passion or the fury of the Adeptus Astartes that she knew. Perhaps it was their age? Or perhaps it was simply the way of the XX Legion.

Once outside, Kyreg saw Sergeant Fratis waiting with the rest of Ladon, the Commander giving the Sergeant a nod before Ladon turned and followed Xythos towards the front line.

Warsmith Gryshun clenched his jaws as he watched his battle plan get torn apart by the defenders. How could mere mortals even think to hold against the might of the Iron Warriors? His honour guard crouched around him silently, the veterans in the silver grey power armour having experienced too much to comment on what was transpiring on the battlefield. "I think Warsmith, it is time for us to advance." Captain Prephas stated as he stood beside the Landraider, hard rounds bouncing harmlessly off of him. Gryshun nodded and roared for the Ironwights to stand beside them. The former Blood Angel Captain raised a single hand, the chainfist in his left hand revving before all six terminators began advancing steadily. The Chaos predators began to advance beside them as well, firing at the trench positions still remaining. Las cannons merely melted paint and were quickly suppressed by either heavy bolter fire from the chaos tanks or blasts of red beams from the volkite weapons now carried by the Oathsworn terminators. "Upon them, we are majesty incarnate brothers!" The terminator Captain had a broad smile to his face as he fired his own volkite charger into positions and man alike. A precise shot in between the hull and the turret of a Leman Russ Vanquisher caused blast to come from within the tank, the volkite beam detonating the ordinance stored there and sent the turret flying up in the air as the flames cooked any of the Grenadiers too close to the tank. Multiple shells hitting the position of the Imperial destroyer blasted away the sandbag cover they had, while second volley detonated the vehicle in a large blast that flung steel shrapnel around it. The Predator engines revved almost as if a scream from the daemons bound within the steel machines of death, churning forward towards the trenches as militia and Grenadiers alike abandoned their positions. While the militia soldiers simply ran for it, the Grenadiers fired volleys back towards the advancing Terminators and the Chaos armour in a discipline withdrawal pattern. Prephas nodded approving at the well drilled enemy soldiers as he stitched a beam from his volkite charger across the retreating grenadiers, the beam sending their blood spraying across the trenches as their bodies combusted almost from the relic weapons.

Behind them Gryshun and the Ironwights advanced steadily, their weapons firing as the volkite chargers held by the elite Iron Havocs stitched and blasted through the trench lines, the Chaos armour in the center firing at all those who dared to stand before them.

Kyreg and his Legionnaires watched this destruction while the Commander nodded slightly to himself and relayed another order through his vox. "Phase magenta."

Engines roared to life as weapon systems powered on. Autoloaders engaged and shells were loaded in, four vehicles quickly shedding their cameoline netting placed around them. Although each vehicle had been separated by orders, their order was the same. While the claws of the Hydra held its victim, the fangs were to finish them.

Prephas waved to Gryshun with a predatory grin on his face even as his power fist turned an armoured Grenadier into bloody pulp slowly, the Warsmith slicing apart a dug in Leman Russ Vanquisher before sending pieces of its crew flying with strikes of his relic power axe. Gryshun looked over just in time to see Prephas disappear in an explosion of blood and cooked flesh, the Terminator Captain sent flying into pieces to the surprise of his squad as well as the Warsmith. Before any questions could be asked, the Warsmith was sent flying as was many members of his retinue. Landing on the dirt, Gryshun got up only to see his Landraider in flames. What was powerful enough to destroy a Landraider? Who were his opponents? He growled in anger as he got up, and looked back at the red armoured Terminators who now had been reduced to pieces. Simply pieces of ceramite, plasteel, and flesh by a distinctive crack. Accelerator cannons? Where was the accelerator cannons? Before he could give another order, a massive red beam lanced out of his far right flank and sliced into a squad of Iron Warriors, their bodies turning into simply ash in a puff of mist while the red beam struck against the red Landraider that had formerly belonged to the late Captain Prephas. "We are too open. Charge damn it, charge all of you into the city itself. Someone out there has a volkite carronade!" The Warsmith and what remained of his retinue charged deep into the city itself, firing at Gamma operators and Theta Grenadiers alike. Suddenly, two members of his retinue dropped, their priceless volkite chargers dropping onto the ground as their power armour bodies collapsed. He could just make out as he looked behind him the burning shells of another predator.

"Commander this is Xyston. Armour targets all destroyed." A dusk blue armoured Legionnaire reported seated in the command seat of a similarly coloured Sicarian battle tank. "Well done Captain Herakles. Send my regards to the rest of the Xyston Fang." The Legionnaire officer grinned as he ordered another volley against any remaining Iron Warrior Astartes still visible just in case.

Gryshun looked behind him as less than a dozen of his warriors remained. Whoever did this, whoever did this will pay with their lives. "Warsmith, augers detect approaching hostiles." One of the traitor Astartes behind him was about to say more when Gryshun saw them through the fog of battle. Armoured in dusk blue power armour with chains painted on, images of a hydra on their armour. The XX Legion? What were they doing here, and why were they attacking him. "How dare you. How dare you strike against us? Or were you hired by that pretty boy Viprus?" Kyreg chuckled deeply as he advanced forward, stalker bolter in hand as Xythos and Gungnir converged on the Iron Warriors through alleyways, the Iron Warriors stuck in the middle of the street as the dusk blue Legionnaires appeared to surround them. "Hired? We do not fight for coin, Iron Warrior." "Then what are you doing here, supporting the dogs of the Angels Evermore warband?" Kyreg tilted his head slightly. "Angels Evermore? You are mistaken. This planet belongs to the Emperor. And the Imperium of Man."

The Iron Warrior laughed, a hollow guttural sound emanating from his vox grill. "For the Emperor? Have you forgotten what had taken place millennia before? None of us belong to the whelps of the Emperor. The XX Legion Commander responded by removing his helmet, revealing his bald head and a closely shaved face. "So will you fight me like a true warrior now? Will you accept my challenge and fight me one on one?" Kyreg raised an eyebrow at the words of the Warsmith. "You think I am here to duel you? No Iron Warrior. I am here so you can see who beat you." The Warsmith started cackling as he raised his power axe towards the sky. "And in the time you've allowed for me to talk, my warship above has locked targets onto our position. So care to rethink your arrogance, you petty garden snake?" Kyreg simply gave him a gesture to go on.

 ** _Seven hours ago in Orbit_**

The Iron Legions human menials began to cut open up the Rhinos and looked at the welded power armour on board. The Thunderhawks had landed a few hours ago and were still being unloaded. Kicks and prods from the two Iron Warrior Astartes who had escorted the two Rhinos back had prompted them to work faster, as the bodies were carried out carefully and laid down on the floor of the loading dock while the Rhinos were towed away to be repaired and hopefully placed back into service. The bodies would be transported to the apothecarium where progenoid glands would be extracted and the suits of armour would be stripped off and recovered. With a grunt, the two Iron Warriors followed the bodies as servitors pushed them on a grav cart.

As the four bodies were left there, the two Iron Warriors stayed and examined the bodies even as a scurrying of metal legs could be heard. "Ah the fallen ones. Do not worry Lords, I will take good care of them." It could only be described as a thing, a human torso with cyborg features attached to eight long spider like metal legs with its forearms and hands replaced with medical instruments. It scurried to where the bodies were and examined the first one, until two silenced bolt rounds ended its existence. Just to make sure, Rythor activated his underbarrel metal and turned the evidence of his kill into ash. Mychil quickly went to the bodies and injected the two that were his comrades with a neural stimulant that awoke them from their sus membrane sleep. "We are on board. It is time to complete our objective."

With a nod, Denlow and Brachus quickly picked up the Iron Warrior bolters and checked the magazine. Their holographic shields changed slightly to show battle damaged Iron Warriors and the four of them began marching towards the bridge. Serfs saluted him and grovelled, only to be answered by dismissive looks and the occasional kicks by Rythor and Mychil, who both had the unfortunate honour of absorbing the memories of the two Iron Warriors they were masquerading as.

"Brothers, you have returned. How did the escort go?" An Iron Warrior officer walked upto the imposters, the four Iron Warriors answering by slamming their gauntlets upon their breastplates. The Iron Warrior officer returned their salute and grinned. "Yes, I understand the Warsmith has bloodied himself already. Perhaps he shall not return. I am sure that many aboard wish for this." Rythor laughed, modifying his throat to make a growling sound resembling a laughter. "Who are the other two?" Thinking quickly on their feet only as XX Legion veterans could, Denlow with a blink of his eye inside his helmet ordered his left arm vambraces to lock and held it up to show the officer. "Brother Autrin sat too close to a melta blast." Rythor growled out with a rough laugh in his throat. The Iron Warrior officer chuckled as well and as he bent down to examine the vambrace, a power dagger was thrust behind his ear to stab right into his lower medulla cortex, the power dagger easily making it through the traitors helmet. Serfs and menials around them looked in shock at the casual murder but Mychil simply removed the now ruined helmet from the Iron Warrior corpse and sliced off the head; tossing it down with a merry deep laugh as the head rolled down the hall. The various slaves and serfs backed away slowly, knowing that it was not uncommon for the traitor Marines to kill each other casually over millennia old grudges and the like.

"Quick thinking brother." Rythor said softly over the helmet vox, leading the squad down the hall openly, their disguise as Iron Warriors preventing any challenges from the mortals on the ship. Rythor gestured towards a group of serfs who seemed to be in some sort of a admiralty uniform and began to follow them at a distance. The serfs would head down the hall and move into what seemed to be a large mess hall where slaves and serfs were handed plates of greyish gruel that looked similar to the protein gruel that was often fed to Astartes warriors. Through the mess hall, the serfs grabbed only protein bars before heading out towards another hallway which would travel upwards in a set of stairs, the mortals climbing them more than walking them while Rythor had to slow down his pace to avoid suspicion. Soon they came to a bank of elevators and the mortals took it up to the 18th level it seemed. Rythor and his squad called for one as well and exited at the 18th level right onto the bridge itself. The bridge was guarded by four Iron Warriors who looked at the new arrivals questioningly.

Rythor snapped to attention, the other legionnaires following his gesture while the veteran Sergeant slammed an armoured gauntlet against his breastplate. "Punishment detail." He growled out. The other Iron Warriors looked at him and nodded. Rythor shoved and kicked the others around the bridge and stood at attention with them. The other warriors on the bridge simply ignored them. At the command throne sat a Blood Angel in ancient relic armour connected to the ship itself through wires and tubes that attached into his helmet. It was probably thousands of years ago before the marine had been disconnected from it. The ships Captain.

"Lance batteries, ensure they are overcharged. Gunnery, ensure target coordinates are down to the last 14 digits. Nothing less then perfection." The voice was raspy, sandy, and sounded like a mixture between two or three different octaves combining. The city was the only target that made sense to Rythor and he quickly sent out a command. "Twilight Crescent." The four Iron Warriors standing guard were dropped with a mixture of suppressed cainite and Kraken rounds while the bridge stopped in shock. The ships Captain turned around and howled in rage. "Treachery! Treachery on the bridge!" Rythor ignored him for now as the doors opened to reveal an entire squad of Iron Warriors with bolters. "Brothers, show them where we can be found." He ordered, as blind grenades were thrown and the bridge was awash in grey smoke that blinded auspexes as well as the advanced sensors of the Astarte helmets. "Maglock now. Create a breach Brachus." The Gungnir legionnaires quickly activated the magnets on their boots, attaching themselves onto the floor while Brachus turned exactly 140 degrees and tossed a melta bomb towards the window where it detonated and cut right through the blast windows, an opening that suddenly sucked out every drop of oxygen. The Gungnir legionnaires already had their power armours life support system activated and simply dropped to a crouch as the bodies of mortal serfs were sucked out of the massive hole. "Eliminate the ship commander." Rythor ordered and Mychil turned exactly 67 degrees, facing the throne and fired his underbarrel melta gun, a roar of pain answering him as the melta blast seared off the lower legs of the Blood Angel. A second blast turned his torso into ash.

The Iron Warriors had advanced unsteadily into the center of the bridge looking for targets of any kind, those quick enough to activate their magnetic clamps still standing while a few of them were sucked out of the window into the void as well. As the smoke cleared, the Iron Warriors looked around only to be cut down by long bursts of suppressed bolter rounds cutting through them, both Kraken and cainite rounds piercing armour and destroying the soft flesh underneath while their bodies still hung on to the floor even as they floated, the magnetic clamps of their power armour boots the only things keeping them still here. "Disengaging life support." Rythor moved to the console and looked at all the displays before voxing the Kilo Theta. "Centurion, I require your assistance."

"Sergeant, what can I do for you." The voice answered back, Centurion Maygis standing on the bridge of the Kilo Theta as a screen displaying what the Sergeant was seeing popped up on his screen. "I need to turn off life support for the ship." The Centurion understood instantly what the veteran Sergeants intentions were. "Top right button. Hold that, and then the bottom six switches, hit them in reverse order. Do not let go of the top right button." The Sergeant followed his instructions and waited for him to continue. "Now, the yellow button with the black stripes. Hit that button and a screen should show up." Rythor followed his instructions and sure enough, a holographic screen popped up. "Now select ship internal functions by touching the screen. Now select life support, and hit off." As Rythor touched the holographic screen in the order the tech marine Centurion ordered him, the oxygen to the bridge was cut off. "Thank you for your assistance Centurion." Maygis chuckled lightly as he ordered a quick scan of the ship by the Kilo Theta crew. "You are successful Sergeant. My scans shows a power reduction. An excellent harrowing." The Sergeant couldn't help but grin as he clicked off the vox, a compliment from the Centurion was a rare one and the Centurion was much older than he was, one of those raised in the first batch in the Emperors gene labs.

 ** _Lorhenge_**

"This is Warsmith Gryshun. I want all orbital lances to fire on the city now. Level it, sink it into the lava ocean!" There was only a hiss on the vox. "Golden Wrath, this is Warsmith Gryshun. I order you to confirm my last command." More hisses on the vox was his only reply. "I will skin you alive and mount your remains in my throne room damn you. FIRE ON MY POSITION NOW!" He just about screamed into the vox. This time however, there was a reply.

"We are Alpharius." In orbit standing in the bridge of the Golden Wrath, Sergeant Rythor took his finger off the vox button, disconnecting his helmet vox from the ship based vox as bodies drifted by slowly, massive holes in the bridges blast windows draining every drop of oxygen in the bridge while Gungnir stood steadily on the bridge, their magnetic boots clamped on the floor.

Gryshun looked at Kyreg and grimaced slightly. "Tell me this then serpent. Why would you, a member of the Hydras assist the Imperials? The Inquisition hunts your kind like the dogs that you are. And you sit in the back creating chaos and causing nothing but crippling suffering through the Imperial Realm. So tell me why would you lower yourself and serve the false emperor?"

Kyreg looked at Gryshun as he shouldered his stalker bolter, the other Legionnaires around them doing the same and taking careful aim at the Iron Warriors who stood there. "Ave Imperator."

Eight Legionnaires opened up in a punishing fusillade of Kraken and Cainite bolter shells, each round striking true and riddling the silver armoured traitors but Gryshun raised his left hand and got off only one shot. A single volkite beam that pierced the Commanders breastplate and sent him dropping to the ground, a bloody hole where once his lower chest was. The green lit status of the Commander dropped to immediate red. Critical. The Warsmith laughed even as multiple Cainite bolts pierced his breastplate and sent him into oblivion.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 14_**

"Take that boy." The golden armoured warrior gestured towards one of the thousands of boys formed up, the results of the Emperors victory over Ursh, the techno-barbarian state set up in what had been parts of Russia and Central Asia. Two of the serfs went forward and began dragging the boy forward towards a waiting transport ship. The armoured warrior looked around as all around them the scene was being repeated. Suddenly one of the serfs was hit right in the head of a rock. He turned and growled, before running towards the boy who had thrown it. The boy had blue grey eyes with long black hair with a mixture of Asian and Slavic features on his face. He calmly awaited the serf who ran towards him with the punishment whips that was often carried by the recruitment serfs. As the serf stopped and brought his right arm back to strike the boy, the child's hidden left hand would reveal a larger rock that he threw with surprising speed right into the serfs head, dropping him to the ground. Imperial Army soldiers quickly surrounded the boy as members of the Custodians looked on with amusement. The boy merely smiled and held out a fragmentation grenade with the pin already pulled, his hand the only thing keeping the spoon in its place. The boy's hand was the only thing keeping the spoon in place to prevent the explosion. All of the boys were at least fourteen or so, having been pressed into service into the former warlords army, and here, there were many giants standing in power armour selecting those they desired. There were those in golden yellow, in majestic red. Even in purple, and black. The boy walked forward slowly, the Imperial Army soldiers moving back bit by bit. The boy smiled before he suddenly looked at his hand where the grenade was frozen it seems. A massive red armoured giant stepped forward and smiled, a slight scent of ozone emanating from him as the source of the sudden frozen grenade. "I will take this boy. His intelligence is impressive." Another giant painted in dusk grey would step forward. "No, we will lay claim, his endurance is endless." A golden yellow figure stepped forward as well. "No, we will take him into our fold and fashion his patience into a deadly edge." Soon red, dusk grey and yellow were joined by black, crimson red, sea green as well as silver and deep blue. "The Custodians looked at each of them and the Captain would nod. "State your cases then."

Before any of the power armoured figures there could argue, the boy collapsed as a small syringe dart flew into his neck, and the boy was caught before hitting the ground by a dusk blue armoured gauntlet. "No Custodian. He is ours, because we are the ones that have captured him." The others looked at the Custodian Captain with outrage but the gold armoured figure simply shrugged and nodded.

 _"Check his pulse. More plasma is needed, give him a full dose. Ready the stasis field, he still yet lives."_

The boy gasped in pain as he awoke, his chest swollen it seemed while a horrific servitor stood by and injected him with multiple syringes, the boy passing out again. He awoke in a few hours, only to see a dusk blue armoured figure who looked at him and nodded. The boy tried to get up again but he realised that his arms and legs were tied down to the bed. "Apothecary, continue please." A pricking sensation in his arm was the last thing he felt before the darkness where he dreamed. Of Serpents, of legends. Of the Golden Figure, the one who would lead humanity through the darkness. He dreamt of fire, of ice, of utter blackness.

 _"Stasis field is holding. Artificer, we will require new vat-grown organs immediately."_

The boy was shoved down onto the seat as the door closed on him, wires hooked up to sensors around his brain as he could only blink inside the dark room. Then the light shone so brightly, all he could remember was the brightness of the light. Days, weeks later, he was removed from the room although this time he was allowed to walk of his own volition. He looked around, his height having grown considerably in the last few months. He looked down at his own hands, much larger than he remembered. Now though he followed the dusk blue figure willingly towards the apothecary, laying down on the flat bed as he was examined. "Excellent. Each implant is fitting in quite well into Kilo 390. Brother Sergeant, I believe he is ready."

The memories flew past him. Images of the range, of running punishing endurance runs, calisthenics, weights, of sleepless nights and busy days. Of weeks spent in the field learning his craft. There was fire, the loud cracks of weapon discharges, the sensation of a hard round whizzing past you too close for comfort. Of slowly crawling through mud and grass just to take that one shot that changed planets. Of sudden blackness as his body was covered in ceramite, a stifling sensation until the implants all connected to the power armour. Suddenly the world lit up around him, the power armour feeling lighter than a shirt as he walked down the ramp with his bolter held casually, fifty pounds of metal feeling lighter than air as he followed his dusk blue armoured brothers splitting into groups of two as they were taken onto the range again. Auto targeters were tested, and adjusted.

Kilo 390 tested the weight of the boarding shield as well as the power axe and nodded at his instructor, a tall sea green armoured Astartes Sergeant who nodded with approval. He looked around at his compatriots, a mixture of sea green Astartes and dusk blue ones. His first boarding action, straight through the boarding torpedo and charging forth with his boarding shield raised high as his axe flashed, cutting through flesh and bone without regard. Limbs flew as the floor became slick with blood, human and xeno. The xeno creature in front of him struck a blade across, his boarding shield absorbing most of it but the tip of the blade caused a scratch across the right cheek of his ceramite helmet. With a growl he bashed his shield into the creature before stomping onto its throat, crushing its windpipe and taking its life.

The doors of the drop pod were blasted open as he exited, the only one clad in dusk blue while those in blood red and gilded golden trim stormed forward. He would follow them clutching the bolt gun in his hand and joined in the roar of his cousins, his finger pulling the trigger as the bolt gun spat out its deadly shells that flew into the trenches held by mortals barely holding on to their courage. As soon as the bolter shells exploded, the spell was broken and the mortals began rushing out of the trench to retreat but his cousins would not allow that to happen. With a loud roar, half of those charging in the blood red line flew up on the wings of jet packs and landed amongst the retreating humans, cutting them apart with chainswords. He drew his own combat knife and roared out, jumping across the trench and impaled a human enemy to the hilt with his blade before shoving the corpse off his knife with a vicious kick.

He worked the blade carefully, flaying the soft skin around the man's chest, and cut a careful "Y" across before spreading the ribs wide open, cracking the chest open and scooping out every organ in the chest cavity before mounting the man onto the large wooden stake, impaling him there upside down on the stake. He carefully made sure that each of the organs were still hanging out and turned to face the legionnaire next to him, the midnight blue Astartes nodding in approval. He would nod before moving onto the other one, a man still alive and grasped him by the throat. The other Astarte assisted him this time, steel stakes driven with the butt of a bolter into the man's wrists and legs crucifying him onto the solid steel door that had prevented their entry previous.

The blast of the heavy tank beside him filled his helmet with the smell of cordite, an explosion rocking the enemy lines as he watched the black and grey legionnaires beside him nod in approval at the gunnery talents of the armour crew. A legionnaire with a plume crested helmet gestured with a blade, and he advanced with the others beside him. They advanced slowly but steadily, firing in long bursts while shells and missiles continued to cut into the enemy tanks in front of them. They followed behind a long line of those who carried pitch black breacher shields, shielding the bolter bearing legionnaires from the worst fire the enemy could throw at them. An occasional shot still got through and in a pained grunt, the advancing line would suffer from the loss of a black armoured legionnaire. On the far left, the heavy armour advanced and kept firing until the defensive lines facing them became nothing but burning ash and craters with bits of flak boards and plasteel fortifications remaining still. With a mighty cry of "For the Emperor" the legionnaires charged the now ruined fortifications into the capital city it was defending.

That small room around him was almost pitch black, having returned to his home. He was no longer of the Initiate, having spent at least decades campaigning with his senior cousins. Awaiting him on a pedestal lined with a rich purple felt was a customized bolter with an electric sight set on top, the barrel elongated and ending in a large suppressor. A sickle pattern magazine locked into place. Beside it was a bolt pistol, a straight magazine locked into place while the barrel itself ended in a stubby suppressor. A dagger, crafted beautifully with a long scaled handle ending in a pommel with a chained hydra laser etched into it. The blade itself was almost a foot long made up of a dark grey metal honed razor sharp. Next to the dagger laid a sheath with silver chains worked intricately into it while a serpent was laser etched into the sheath itself. He would nod as he picked those up, clamping them to his armour one by one while two servitors would step in behind him and laid a fluttering cameoline cloak over him, the cloak locking in place with a dusk blue ceramite broach that clamped to the upper left side of his breast plate. He would look at the single candle lit on the pedestal and examined it closely. Even in the barely lit gloom, his auto senses could see the Imperial Eagle with thunder bolts crossed behind it. Reaching out slowly, he snuffed out the small light with two armoured fingers and moved down to one knee. His cloak fluttered slightly as it caught the wind created by the others in the room, moving towards him.

"This is the last time you will stand in the Emperors Light Legionnaire. You have come to us, as a Legionnaire schooled in different faculties of war by our cousins. Your lecture hall was the battlefield of the mighty, and your lecturers the experience of combat. The Favoured Wolves, the incandescent Angels, the haunted of the Night and the walkers of Iron storm. Each style of combat is a fang in the jaws of the mighty Hydra, and now you will learn to put them all together, assembling them the way you would a bolter and learn the ways of the twentieth.

 _"The digestive system as well as two of the lungs require replacement. They are too severely injured for me to repair. Skin grafts will be needed as well."_

The wind howled in the night as the large gate was slowly lowered, the two sentries having had their throats already slit. Yet the gate was lowered just enough for those waiting in the moat to grab a hold and climb on, the gate closing oddly silent, as if someone had carefully greased and lubricate every moving part in the winch system in preparation for this moment. He carefully wiped any remains of the moat muck off of his eye lenses and began moving forward. Objectives had already been assigned, there was someone specific here they were looking for. The former General had retired in luxury, having been granted this boon by the Emperor for his service in leading the 259th Urshan Regiment to great honour during the unification wars. Generous amounts of gene treatments as well as rejuvenat treatments had ensured that the retired General had lived for over two centuries easily with many still to come. Of course the oath had never been sworn by the General, spurned as he felt he no longer needed to owe fealty to anyone.

He grabbed a sentry by his mouth and slit his throat again, holding the man easily before moving the body to hide it in the bushes. The stalker bolter was clamped to his side, not yet the time for its use. He carefully arranged the cameoline cloak around himself once again and moved further into the darkness, approaching the manner house. Finding his position, he would lay prone in the orchids, awaiting the command. His brothers were positioned similarly all around the manor house, simply waiting. A small unit of guards patrolled the gates as well as the perimeter of the actual house, but they were of no concern. As night turned into day, he kept waiting even as household staff walked within five feet of him, unable to see him in between the high orchids as well as the large boutiques of flowers and vegetation arranged tastefully all around the large garden of the property. As night fell again, the signal was given. At the same time, breaching charges placed all around the massive walls of the structure were detonated, collapsing the walls and rendering the small town defenceless, hundreds of humans already dead by the simple collapse of the defensive walls.

Rising up, he shouldered his stalker bolter and began firing, as did his brothers. The guard standing in a small castle like turret had his head blown off by the heavy but silent specialist bolter rounds used. Another guard received two shots in his chest, his blood and liquefied organs spraying behind him onto the wall. As one, his brothers and him rose up and advanced towards the manor house where the front door was kicked in. Menials were ignored while any armed received a three round burst to the chest. He worked his way up stairs following his brothers, the Sergeant leading them wordlessly towards their assigned objective. A massive door was blown in with a melta bomb, the stone doors splintering and flying off as they entered, a massive bed with golden trimmed silk sheets adorning it while the man lying in it stared at them in shock. His wife laid beside him, her mouth open in shock as well while the Astarte Legionnaires entered the room. His Sergeant drew a power sword and looked at the man who wondered what had happened here. The former General stared at the Legion he had once served beside, the honoured Lunar Wolves clad in their chalk white armour. Before a word was said, the Sergeant quickly cut the General into sixteen different pieces and arranged each piece to form the shape of an eye before the wife was unceremoniously decapitated. Without a word, the Sergeant led him and his brothers out of the door and back downstairs where the menials had all been taken by another squad and executed quickly with slashes and stabs of power daggers before a thunder hawk in the colours of the Wolves landed on the lawn, all four squads quickly climbing on board before they took off, leaving only behind a city blown wide open with its governor cut into sixteen pieces. The count of the Wolves.

He looked up proudly as his pauldron was replaced in front of his brothers, it has been another decade of service and the purely dusk blue pauldron that had only a chained _A_ adorning it was replaced by a stylized hydra with six chains across it. His plain unadorned armoured gauntlets were replaced by a pair of matching ones with inlaid scales adorning it and chains carefully painted three times around each forearm. Last but not least, his kneepads were carefully replaced, the left one had inlaid scales while the right held a stylized _XX_. His promotion to veteran Sergeant was not expected, but it meant his induction into the 8th as the twentieth was finally expanded. The great crusade had greater need now of fearsome warriors and the Emperor had finally allowed the twentieth to become a true Legion. His brothers all knelt on one knee in front of him as he stood there, behind him were his fellow veteran Sergeants, as well as the senior officers. The Hydra had chosen and accepted. If even one had stood, he would not have been allowed to keep his honour; that was the way of the Legion.

The 8th surrounded the xenos capital, super heavy tanks churning forward slowly as ammunition caches as well as supply dumps detonated. Through the burning wreckage of the city, he waited, cradling the stalker bolter in his hand as the rest of his squad waited divided in halves, in curiously shaped structures at the xenos starport. A stealth shielded servo skull was floating above watching the main road for them, volkite chargers clutched by two of his squad members. No heavy bolters, nor rocket launchers were carried. None was needed by the hidden squad. Movement triggered the camera feed from the servo skull to his helmet, as a single curiously misshaped carriage floating on grav fields headed down the road. The vox was blipped twice, and each half of the squad readied itself. As carriage reached the xenos craft, the patriarch got out with his bodyguards. Humanoid in shape with scales across their fish like faces, the patriarch started heading towards the craft before a single red beam fired from a volkite charger reduced his body to ash. The bodyguards were taken down with carefully aimed bolter shots. Then the craft itself detonated, killing the passenger as well as all the other occupants. Various expensively gilded grav carriages all sat nearby, leaving no doubt as to who the occupants were.

The mark of a Captain was bestowed upon him as the helmet was locked into place, the helmet was gilded with eight chains a sign of his rank as well as the tabard that now hung from his waist, complete with eight chains intertwined with a scaled serpent over the stylized _XX._ His company as well, went down on a knee. Except this time the legionnaires did not kneel on unadorned dusk blue knee pads. This time each legionnaire knelt on the knee pads with eight chains carefully painted and etched into their knee pads, the mark of veterans. In turn, he would face the Commander of the 8th and knee as well. The power sword sheathed at his hip was drawn by him and laid across on the floor in front of him, the Commander nodding in assent. The Shrouded, the elite Seekers formed into an entire company represented better than any the way of the 8th.

Banestrike ammunition. He looked at the Commander of the 8th who nodded in confirmation. With double the cartridge charge of traditional bolter rounds, as well as a solid adamantium tip to pierce through power armour. The question was asked silently and the answer was given in a nod. There was only one target this was made for; Legios Astartes. Wordlessly, he locked the magazine into his combi-stalker bolter and sighed internally. What were they preparing for? Why was this ever created? His gene father stood there with his Lernaean terminator elite and he understood why he was there. If any raised opposition, they would be killed in a flurry of volkite blasts and power axes. He turned to face his own honour guard, dusk blue armoured legionnaires armed with combi-stalker bolters like him, adorned with power swords while wearing their helmets had the enhanced auto targeter built in, protruding slightly out of the helmets right side. They, like him, looked at the banestrike magazines and each replaced their magazines with them. There would be questions later, but not in front of their genefather.

Perhaps his genefather knew where he stood. Perhaps it was a test. But he stood there with his company watching as the Legions fired at each other. He was ordered into battle it seemed but there was little he could do but watch. It was unthinkable, brothers firing upon brothers. It was simply almost too much to bear. Those of the company who agreed with the Primarch had ignored him as him and the legionnaires loyal to him stood by and watched as those wearing the same dusk blue fired upon the loyalists. As bane strike ammunition tore through power armour ending the lives of Legionnaires loyal to the Emperor. "For the Warmaster." He whispered in his helmet, tears gliding down his face inside his helmet as he watched. Perhaps he was frozen from some kind of weakness. Still unable to go directly against the orders of his Primarchs. They both belonged to the Warmaster now. Shaken out of his stupor finally, he finally gave the order. "Seeker company. Fire." Those standing behind him understood exactly what his orders were. Raising their stalker bolters, banestrike rounds struck the dusk armoured warriors in front of them, cutting them down viciously. The executioners all had tears in their eyes even as they held the triggers down on full auto, ignoring the usual disciplined manner of war they fought as they received the first taste of kin slaying.

" _Increase the plasma transfusion. Good, the organs have been attached and seem to be doing well. We can only monitor this for now."_

"This is pure treason." He stated. His commander looked at him with a hard look in his eyes. "That is not for you to decide, Captain. We have our orders, and we obeyed them." The Captain snarled before drawing his blade before he realised what he was doing and cut his former beloved Commander down. Around him, the Shrouded stood around him as bodyguards, their stalker bolters drawn. The rest of the 8th could only stare as they watched their veteran elite cut down the commander. "The former Commander was unfit to lead. I have relieved him of command. As the Captain of the Shrouded, that makes me the Commander of the 8th." He stood facing the 8th, the Harrow divided roughly in half as battle brothers faced each other. He walked down the steps of the command throne and placed himself firmly in front of the loyalist faction.

"But Commander.. we have our orders. We cannot disobey." The newly minted Commander snarled a little inside his helmet and looked at the Marines that stood in front of him. "This is your last chance Captain. The 8th either stands with the Emperor or we do not stand at all." The Marines opposite of him hesitated, and lowered their bolters. "We have always been for the Emperor. ALWAYS. No genefather nor Warmaster will sway us from this path. We were the Emperors Ghost Legion before we met our Primarch. We were his wrath in the shadows, coiling like the scales of the serpent. But this. You all know what this has come to. Even a single moment of treason is exile. You all know this." The Marines looked at him and some took off their helmets with tears in their eyes. "We have slain our own blood tonight Commander. How will we find repentance in that?" One of them asked.

"We find repentance in death brother. We find repentance in fighting for the Emperors dream. His foremost command to us was to take to the stars and illuminate them to the Imperial Truth. I have not heard any commands contrary by Him on Terra so we OBEY. We of the 8th will remain on the Emperors side. We will return to the ghosts from where we came."

"I.. Commander. We have killed our own. I have personally struck down dozens of our brothers. How do we live with what we have done. No matter the repentance." The Captain of the 4th Company spoke up, always a solid dependable officer, always following the Commanders orders. "In Service, In Death. Only in death does duty end Captain, you know this. We all know this. We are the 8th of the XX Legion. Some of you here still remember the honour bestowed on us when we numbered only two thousand. When the Emperor himself gave us his blessings and raised us to Legion strength. How can we now turn on him? We who once kneeled before the Sigilite and carried out the Emperors wrath. We who once executed those who presumed themselves to be beyond the Emperor and the Imperium of Man."

The Commander roared the last part, those standing in front of him finding themselves unable to respond. "If you truly, if you truly feel you are unable to continue on your duties to the Emperor, then stand there. If you find loyalty in your hearts, in your hearts forged by the Emperors orders and his talents, then stand with me brothers." Half of the Marines moved to his side slowly, with heavy steps and heavy hearts. Those that remained however, dropped their bolters on the ground. Captain Tullin of the 4th Company took his helmet off and placed it on the ground before facing the Commander. "Sir, I cannot. My old friend. We have risen through the ranks together, we have been inducted together. Do you still remember it? The snow covered fields of Ursh? Of your carefully planned attack on the recruitment serf? The grenade you smuggled out somehow. I miss those days my friend. My commander. Those who stand with me, we cannot serve the Emperor knowing what we have done. We beg of you then, of the Emperors mercy." The Commander stared at one of his oldest friends and nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. It had come to this, and he knew that it would. The other Marines standing with the Captain took off their helmets as well with sorrow in their eyes. The Commander gritted his teeth as he looked over at the Marines who stand with him.

"This is our penance. We shall carry out the Captains final wishes in honour of his long service to the Emperor. This request for the Emperors mercy, we will grant him. 8th, ready arms. Aim. Fire." A loud crack of bolter discharges aimed carefully dropped the unhelmed Marines with merciful precision. The Commander felt his own hand shake as he realised he had just ordered the execution of almost a thousand of the 8th. He looked over at his Honour Guard, who looked back at him in merciful silence. "Commander. What is our next course of action." The 2nd Company Captain asked him. "The Great Crusade is dead my friend. We head towards Terra. We destroy all traitors we find. We still stand once again in front of the Emperor and we will kneel to Him and renew our oaths. If he finds us wanting, we will die kneeled in front of him for that is nothing less than we deserve." The remaining officers nodded at his words.

 _"His breastplate is done for. We have plenty of extra ones to spare. The scar tissues? He will have to live with those. If he does."_

He watched as the strike cruiser burned. The bombard cannon had struck true, the former Night Lords warship collapsing in on itself as the destruction wrought caused the cruiser to break in half yet still the rear part of the ship were still travelling by momentum, crashing further against the broken front portion. "Direct hit, Commander." He nodded at the serfs words as he watched it collapse even further. "Fire the weapons battery. I want to ensure its destruction." The bridge quickly plotted firing solutions for the weapon batteries, macro cannons as well as plasma projectors ripping into the structure and breaking off more pieces. "We are being hailed, Commander. The Mechanicum on the planet wishes to know if we are still loyal to Terra." The Commander thought about it for a few moments before nodding. "Tell them. Tell them, Ave Imperator."

The dark eldar weaved in front of him, avoiding his swing by millimetres before reversing its grip on the nasty looking blade and stabbed it towards him. His various injuries were a testament to the deadly skill of the xeno officer in front of him. He waited for the strike to get closer before slicing the xeno's arm off, the blade stuck in his armoured pauldron before lunging forward and smashing his left fist into the creature's side. With a sickening crunch, the alien was sent flying before leaping up although a bit slower now missing its arm and having no doubt quite a few broken bones. Around him, his squad fired in precise single shots to force the aliens to retreat before grenades were pumped towards them from under barrel grenade launchers. He ripped the severed arm from the pauldron and grabbed the strange blade in his hand, the two handed blade made for a dark eldar easily becoming a single handed blade in his hands and threw it right into the injured alien. With a screeching cry of pain, the creature tried as hard as it could to pull the blade out but the Commanders throw had impaled the creature against the wall. "For the Emperor, finish this!" He commanded before charging forward, the power sword in his hand swinging downwards as he split the aliens skull in half. The Legionnaires around him charged as well, with flamers torching the aliens even as the dark eldar tried to fight back. He would take the sheath from the dead aliens body and sheathed the blade into it before clamping it to his side. His blade would be returned to the armouries, requiring a new blade as the edges had dozens of slices in them, the consequences of trying to block the phase blade.

 _"Give him the injection now, it should kick his system into overdrive and allow his own healing abilities to do the rest of it."_

He could only watch and grit his teeth as the bodies of his brothers laid around him, the only thing having kept him safe was the presence of a psychic blank amongst them. The null legionnaire leaned on the heavy autocannon he had commandeered and breathed deeply. The daemon was finally slain, costing him almost his entire strike force. The 8th was reduced down to less than twenty warriors but they had no choice. The warp storm trapping the Kilo Zeta in the system had to be stopped, and the only way was to stop the ritual taking place but they had been too late. They had fought and killed the automatons of the XV Legion, the mindless Astartes firing and requiring multiple shots to take down even with Cainite ammunition. But the summoned daemon, that had taken more. That had taken what had remained of the 8th to keep the warpspawn that had materialised in the summoning of the daemon pinned while he had led his honour guard in a desperate charge to kill the thing. The null legionnaire had charged right beside him and given him the chance to cut the damn things head off, sending it back to the warp. He collapsed to the ground, breathing with massive effort while one of his honour guard quickly kneeled beside him. "Commander? Commander. Kyreg you dumb bastard have you slept for enough?" He was confused, who the hell was Kyreg? Was that his name? The 8th Shroud, the 8th Harrow, they were his right?

"You're finally awake you lazy frak." Mytis stood in front of him as Kyreg opened his eyes, gasping for breath as he tried to sit up. "Lay back down you idiot, you took a volkite beam to the gut. You're lucky you're such a stubborn bastard. Oh and the fact that Armand was a veteran company apothecary, you stupid frak." Kyreg took a few more deep breath only to look down and see that his stomach and lower chest was one massive scar tissue. "Give it time, you'll heal. For now you need to rest."


	15. Chapter 15

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 15_**

He breathed in deeply and left out a soft groan as he felt his lower abdomen spike in pain. Turning his head side to side and looking around him, he realised that he was laying on a medical cot in the apothecarium. Various wires were hooked up to his torso as well as his head while fluids were dripped into his body via multiple coloured IV bags hanging above him with the syringes hooked into a central feed line over his left arm. He let out a loud breathe attracting the attention of a medical servitor who scrambled up to him and scanned his body with a hand held auspex.

"Patient condition stable. Do you require additional medical attention?" Kyreg waved the servitor away who would retreat to a corner of the room and go into standby mode. He tried to stand up but the moment he tried to raise himself on an elbow to get up out of bed, a sharp pain flared in his lower abdomen again. It apparently triggered some kind of alert because the next thing he knew, Chief Apothecary Armand stalked into the room in a finely made gilded suit of power armour, the white chains painted onto his right pauldron the only indication of his status as an apothecary. "I just knew that you would try and stand up Commander. Tell me how I knew that. I had you hooked up for a movement alarm because I know how much of a stubborn grox you are." Kyreg grinned slightly, a pained grimace filling his features as he laid back down and looked over his torso.

"You got lucky the Warsmith had such poor aim. An inch higher and he would've ruptured both your hearts. As it is, he hit your third lung, and your secondary heart as well as taking a chunk out of your digestive tract. Volkite beams are recommended as unhealthy by most apothecaries." Armand checked the Commanders status and looked at the monitors display his vital signs and nodded. "You are recovering nicely though. A few more days and you should be back to normal."

"Wait. Most apothecaries?" He asked in curiosity. "Well Commander, when you were still an initiate, you trained with the Iron Tenth did you not?" Kyreg nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, although back then they were known as the Stormwalkers." Armand smiled at the mention of the old pre-Primarch legion name. "Yes, when I was initiated, the old legion names still stood. The Stormwalkers, the Dusk Raiders. The Imperial Heralds. Oh yes let us not forget the Dragon Warriors and of course the Warhounds. Well the Iron Hands see the replacement of flesh with mechanical augmentics to be holy almost. So their apothecaries might suggest that Volkite beams are a healthy and honourable way to find yourself replacing your own flesh with mechanical parts." Kyreg snorted a little in amusement. He too had not heard the names of those pre-Primarch legions for a very long time. Of course the Chief Apothecary's sense of humour was still quite sarcastic and dry.

"How long have I been out?" He asked as he looked down at his body and closed his eyes. He could still see the blast of searing at him into darkness. "We brought you on board nine days ago, Commander." Kyreg blinked at the answer and stared Armand. "Nine days? We have lost nine days? What is the state of the planet now? Who holds the capital city?" The Chief Apothecary sighed and walked over to examine a large syringe and tilted his head over at the Legion Commander. "Everything is as it should be, Commander. Your battle plan was worthy of the Harrowmasters. Now be quiet and rest before we put to test just how much knock out chemicals an Astartes system can resist."

 ** _Lorhenge_**

The city itself was in ruins, the artillery barrage fired by the Iron Warriors having hit large quantities of the different buildings and the like in the short but sharp shelling of the city. The mortar shells fired by their human cultist troops had destroyed the city borders, turning houses and buildings into rubble. Of course the human cost was far greater, more than three thousand of the militia gathered by the Alpha Legion Sergeant had perished in the attack. The casualties were not just limited to the militia however. For the 27th Theta Grenadiers, each Commando company suffered close to a quarter casualties. However almost of their armour Squadron was utterly wiped out, only the 2nd Troop consisting of two Leman Russ Vanquishers and a single Destroyer still existing. The Gamma 6-7 were not immune either, and out of the five twelve man teams deployed as special mission units, only two remained.

Inquisitor Laneth looked around her and sighed softly. While the Commanders squad had left with him back onto the cloaked warship of the Legionnaires, Sergeant Rythor had returned back to the surface through hijacking a drop pod from the warship they had disabled and landed on the surface to take command. Troiey and Cyprus sat on a cement bench that was strangely undisturbed looking at the scene of destruction they had witnessed. An Astarte on Astarte battle that had tested the formidable Iron Warrior assault against the many twisting claws of the Hydra, and it was not something they wished to witness again anytime soon. The effeminate assassin could be oddly found pruning a small hedge of flowers that had been protected against the battle with a molecular edged combat blade, deft movements of his wrist slicing apart any parts that were dead or at all damaged. The dead were being piled by the civilians that remained, by those who had hidden in the governor's palace escaping the battle while the war raged around them. There were small mercies as children looked out and around as they were finally allowed to step outside. Laneth looked at the men around her, one of the squads of the Gamma 6-7 arranged around her loosely each holding hellguns in their arms carefully as two of their Taurox armoured patrol vehicles were parked nearby. The G6-7 operators were unlike any Imperial units she had ever met. They moved faster, and were much stronger than any Tempestus Scion unit she had ever operated with. Their movements were smooth and fluid, and they coordinated almost perfectly with each other. They stood around her in a tan, dark brown, green and grey striped camouflage pattern even as they wore dark green carapace armour on top with full masked helmets, each mask having advanced targetors and sensors built in.

They were assigned to her as a bodyguard when the shooting first started, as her acolytes had been seconded to one of the special mission units established during the defensive. They had performed admirably, as the Inquisitor had been fired at by an Ironsworn assault platoon that had infiltrated through one of the defences weak points after overrunning the platoon defending it. With movements learned only through countless encounters, the one closest to her grabbed her and shoved her onto the floor while the others had opened up with precise hellgun bolts, drilling the enemy unit with carefully aimed single shot armour piercing hell bolts all the while the Inquisitor had been unceremoniously shoved behind a concrete pillar while the operator who had dragged her leaned out from behind it and opened up on full auto, spraying countless bolts at the assault squad as his own squadmates moved back quickly into cover. The encounter was over in seconds, the Gamma 6-7 troopers cutting the enemy assault unit apart with precision shots. The minute the shooting stopped, a full face helmed soldier with a small blue medical insignia on his carapace armour slid behind the cover and checked the Inquisitor over thoroughly for any shrapnel or injuries. All the while, the rest of the squad had moved in a full circle, covering every direction while air support was quickly given strike coordinates in case the enemy unit was leading a larger enemy force in through the breach. A few vox messages later, and a Theta Grenadier platoon had moved in sealing off the breach in the lines with hellguns raised.

In a way, she was envious of the Commander. He had memories and experiences that she so wished she could experience again, memories that she had barely seen the tip of when the Librarius legionnaire had taken her mind into his memory pool. As an Inquisitor, she believed that knowledge was the most potent of all weapons. She looked over at her acolytes, the only one who seemed to be in a good mood was Cyprus but he cradled the sniper rifle in his lap the way parents would hold a child and smiled out as he watched the reconstruction start slowly.

"Inquisitor." A deep voice sounded behind her, and she would turn as her body guard squad bowed slightly towards the power armoured giant. "Is the Commander well?" She would ask. The Legionnaire Sergeant nodded. "I am here to inform you that the planet appears to be cleansed. However, artifacts were recovered from the Landraider." She raised an eyebrow as the Sergeant gestured towards a massive piece of a light yet intensely strong section with multiple small red gems placed in it as place holders. "We found seven of these pieces in the Landraider, and wish to know what you want done with them." The Inquisitor frowned a little as she looked at them. "They are xenos are they not?" The Legionnaire nodded. "Yes. They are Eldar spirit stones. This seems to be a holder of some sort, perhaps a storage system for them. There are perhaps a few hundred soul stones found." The Inquisitor had a latent psyker resonance, not nearly enough to manifest any true powers but she had a sense about her and she could sense old psychic echoes resonating to her senses. "I suppose most Inquisitors would have them destroyed." She stated haltingly. "Most Inquisitors would not be standing in front of me so calmly, my lady." The Sergeant replied with a light smile on his face. Laneth chuckled lightly, she was surprised at herself. After all this, she held no ill will towards the Legionnaires, only a sadness. A sadness that they would never be recognized as loyalist because of their legion, that for all their loyalty to the Emperor, she was practical enough to realise that loyalty to the Emperor was not necessarily loyalty to the Imperium and if their existence was revealed to the Inquisition, they would be attacked and wiped out. Of course even for her, it was a new experience. For space marines from the age of the Great Crusade, those who had walked beside the Emperor himself now were shunned by the Imperium at large and would always be treated as the same traitors that walked beside Horus. She wished she had an entire Chapter. No, an entire Legion almost. Perhaps that is what the Emperor felt as he watched his newly formed Legions travel to the stars. The difference she could make in the Imperium.. she would mentally shake her head and sighed softly. "Well, I'm quite loathe to hand them over to an Ordo Xeno Inquisitor. Quite frankly, they would be experimented on and tormented. I think, they should be guarded for safe keeping then." The Sergeant nodded approvingly. "You are familiar then with these stones?"

She sighed softly and nodded. "When the Age of Strife ended, the Eye of Terror was created by the birth of the Chaos entity known as Slaanesh. Where the Eye of Terror now, used to be the capital region of the Eldar Empire. The same birth is what stopped the warp storms around the galaxy and opened the way for the Imperium to advance into the stars. The Eldar had millions of souls consumed, and now even when they die, their souls are sent into the warp where Slaanesh will feast on them. To prevent such a thing, these soul stones, they trap the souls of the Eldar and prevent their consumption. In turn, they were stored and treasured so as to preserve the souls of the fallen." She thought about it for a moment and continued. "While I cannot condone the Eldar for what they have done, I also will not condemn them to an eternity of suffering either. Of course the destruction of the soul stones would also strengthen Slaanesh and that cannot be allowed either. Yes, I do believe these must be placed in safe storage."

Sergeant Rythor smiled in approval. "Now you understand truly the difference between the 8th and the youngsters that form the Astartes chapters now." The Inquisitor bit her lips lightly and looked at him questioningly. "Why is it that the Commander, you and all the others all seem to despise the space marines now?" The veteran Sergeant thought about the question for a moment and gestured around them. "We despise them because they are the inheritors of our legacies. Whether it is the traitors or the loyalists, there are few of us left from the Great Crusade. Back in those days, the Iron Warriors that attacked us would have been part of an unstoppable assault force taking apart their enemies in the name of the Emperor. Now, they attack us for their own greed, for their own sakes and it is why they lost. I remember them when they formed great walls of grey ceramite, standing strong against our foe and showing them the true genius of the Emperor. Eighteen legions formed, each with different talents and strengths. The Iron Warriors from back then would have planned this attack better. Each shot by their heavy weapons would have been calculated down to the last decimal to be directed towards the scientific weak point of a fortification. Here, they simply sought to overwhelm us with firepower and bog us down in the assault of their mortal Auxilia and then strike us down. It is unbecoming of the sons of Perturabo."

Laneth looked at him in slight surprise. "You almost seem to have a high regard for them. For how they were." She was surprised because of how little any of the Legionnaires she has encountered had ever given a compliment to any other Astartes. "Of course. For all their faults, the Legios Astartes was a truly majestic force. Even the sons of Guilliman knew that the best way to adapt to a battle was to adapt in the effective methods of a worthy enemy or ally. There is a reason that the Ultramarines had a version of almost every elite unit used by his brothers. Even from us he copied the Vigil Operatii, initiates who failed only because their genes did not because they lacked spirit. They were sent on covert operations and all those things which Guilliman publically denounced. Yes, he was a hypocrite but he is also a Primarch and a fearsome general."

The female inquisitor rested a hand on the top of the carapace torso armour forced on her by her G6-7 body guards and frowned a little. It was seldom that any loyalist would critique a beloved and renowned Primarch like the Sergeant did.

The Sergeant laughed in amusement and shook his head. "You must remember for all you mortals deify them, many of us had walked in their presence and fought beside them. But that is also why we deride the Adeptus Astartes as they are now. They only know of minor glories now, not of anything close to the scale of the Great Crusade. When the Astartes of the Imperium deploy into battle now, they deploy in manners befitting a skirmish. In the Great Crusade, tens of thousands of Astarte Legionnaires dropped onto planets to bring the Emperors compliance in ways that is never seen now. Each First Founding Chapter as they are now are but a diluted drop of what they were. The Traitors are but mockeries of how they were when they stood next to the Emperor. Abbadon and his Black Legion, it's a mockery of the Lunar Wolves. Abbadon sought to emulate the Warmaster but his memory must be tainted by the warp because the real Lupercal never accepted defeat. The real Lupercal was named Warmaster because he was able to unite all of his feuding brothers and placate them the way only another Primarch can, and send them each to their own specialties. I have met Ezekyle Abbadon once. The 8th was ordered to stand by the Primarch's side when Horus had summoned a meeting of various available Primarchs for a war council. Our genefather deployed of course with his Lernaeans but alongside them marched the 8th Harrow's Shroud company. Us. That was when Kyreg was still a Captain, and he marched us to stand opposite of the Sons of Horus 10th Company. An Imperial Fist asked Kyreg if he truly thought us fit to stand in front of a Mournival company. Kyreg asked the Imperial Fist if he truly thought himself fit to question someone who was inducted into the Legios Astartes before the Imperial Fist had been a thought in his father's eye. The Mournival who were waiting had burst into laughter, with Ezekyle Abbadon stepping forward and telling the Imperial Fist that if Captain Kyreg was unfit to stand here, then no one was fit to stand there."

She raised an eyebrow at his story and laughed a little. "I didn't realise that you would know so many of those we vilify now. I'm not surprised, I can only imagine that once upon a time before they had turned arch traitor, they had been loyal to the Emperor."

He nodded and gestured around him again. "Tell me Inquisitor. What do you see here in the battlefield around us?" She sighed as she looked around slowly, taking in the sights of the burnt out buildings, crushed structures and the many bodies that were being collected still. "I see, death. Destruction every where, and war." Rythor shook his head slightly smiled almost painfully. "Perhaps it would be difficult for mortals to understand but… I see only weakness. Failure. If this was during the days of the Great Crusade, this entire town would have been almost razed to the ground in the fury of battle. Imagine for every mortal soldier we have here, it was instead an Astarte Legionnaire. And instead of the pitiful few tanks we had, it was entire super heavy tanks supported by heavy tanks firing a massive barrage. The fact that this city still stands after an Iron Warrior attack.. that shows how far all of us had fallen. We lost more than three thousand soldiers to a single attack. Yes it was partially out of necessity but during the legions of old, the Iron Warriors would have found tracks unable to advance further. Bolter shells with dead primers. Suicide bombers amidst their ranks causing nothing but havoc. This here, this is a diluted example of what a legion can do."

She nodded in understanding. She could not begin to imagine a worse firestorm than this, perhaps the only place she would have thought to be worse might have been Armageddon. But that was caused by the attack of millions of orks.

 ** _Kilo Zeta_**

Kyreg flexed his arm and turned his hips side to side before nodding with approval. It has been a few days and his superhuman system had finally managed to heal him. Almost two weeks, he thought disapprovingly. That would have brought his genefather disapproval at first, letting himself get so injured in the first place, and then being forced into bed rest. Of course, a lot of things now were different with his genefather slain. While the battle strategies that made the XX Legion notoriously difficult to stop were drilled into his very being, he still could not help but miss the days of the Great Crusade. Back when there was true brotherhood. He thought the last bit rather bitterly, having been schooled by various cousin legions but also because he had fought alongside many of his cousin legions that had been worthy allies. He took the long way around to the armoury where he knew that one of the tech marines would be waiting. He nodded at Legion serfs who bowed towards him as well as G6-7 soldiers who saluted him, waving them back to their duties casually. It felt strange to be in nothing but robes at the moment, having not taken off his power armour for almost a decade except for maintenance and hygiene. The halls of the Kilo Zeta were familiar to him, once long ago the vessel assigned to the Shroud Company; the veteran stealth operators of the 8th. It provided nostalgia as he remembered brothers who were no longer there with fond memory; from the time he had spent as a veteran Sergeant in the company to when he had achieved captaincy.

The doors hissed open for him as he walked into the armoury, the section of the ship kept at a perpetual cool temperature in order for the various machines and tools used by the tech marines to keep cool. "Commander, I have been awaiting you." Of course it was Centurion Maygis. For whatever reason, even as the ship's captain, the Centurion always insisted on tending to the Commanders armour himself. Of course the seasoned veteran provided more than excellent repairs to him. "My apologies for the wait. My route took me on a rather nostalgic path." Maygis chuckled slightly and nodded. "I cannot blame you Kyreg, just yesterday I wandered into a section of the ship where I remembered as a new tech marine, Centurion Krogis chastised me for not being sufficiently respectful as I tried to change the barrel on a sniper rifle meant to equip Styger squad." Kyreg chuckled with amusement. He remembered Centurion Krogis. The tech marine was nothing short of a walking encyclopedia, having been one of the first to learn the secrets of the machine from Mars.

"Your suit has been repaired. The breast plate and back plate was replaced from the former Captain Lezath's power armour, it has been sufficiently placated to allow proper function. Your backpack also had to be replaced." The Commander nodded and looked over the power armour suit laid out on the massive bench in front of the tech marine. He reached out and gently touched the stylized _A_ on the left side of the breast plate as well as the eight chains that reached out from all sides to entangle the stylized letter. At the same time, a hydra was painted twisted thinly over the stylized _A_. The power backpack had finely gilded trims of chains while at the angled stealth vents of the backpack had small chains etched to come out of the vents. "I wonder if I will be worthy of a piece of his armour. He was the Captain I served under when I was first inducted as a veteran Sergeant into the Shroud Company." Kyreg smiled fondly and lightly traced the individual twists and turns of the coiled hydra. The Centurion smiled and nodded with pride at his work. "It was strange installing the pieces I must admit. It required very little placation truthfully, and the pieces fit in almost eagerly. As if longing to belong to the servos tuned for your movements." The Commander turned and smiled at his new suit of power armour. "I will gladly wear this armour and ensure the Captains memory lives on."

He stepped onto the armour mounting circle and spread his arms out. Quickly and efficiently, servitors would fasten each piece of armour onto his body until the Commander was complete as a space marine should be. Then with a soft whine, the suit powered up and he tested the movement of each suit. The parts added on seemed to adapt to his own servo tunings like the Centurion had said. Walking a few experimental steps, he noted that each piece was one hundred percent in sync with each other. When armour was repaired, it was often rare to have one hundred percent sync. Generally, ninety five percent was acceptable but the fitment was rare to have one so intricately connected with each other. Machine spirits were known to take on those they deemed worthy and give their protection fully. Maygis fully believed it in this case and nodded towards the stylized _A_ on the Commanders breastplate. "Interesting piece of armour… it comes with its own conversion shield. Quite fitting for the Commander of the 8th I believe." Kyreg snorted slightly at the shield, it was quite useful that was not in doubt. However he had never carried one previous although he had no doubt that the volkite beam would have done far less damage had he worn one when he was hit. The Tech Marine looked at him approvingly before waving him to the other side of the bench. There was his combi-stalker bolter, underbarrel melta guns almost as a standard as it was the quietest anti-armour weapon. His bolt pistol with the suppressor still fitted, as well as the power dagger first issued to him when he became a full fledge member of the two thousand numbered Legionnaires that was known then as the Ghost Legion. Last but certainly not least, he picked up the phase blade and smiled grimly underneath his helmet before fitting it onto his power armour. An assortment of grenades and magazines completed his re-armament and he would bow gratefully to Maygis as he clamped the last magazine onto his power armour.

The door hissed open and Chief Apothecary Armand stepped in gracefully with a certain quietness about him that marked him distinctly as one of the original veteran Headhunters. "Commander, you requested that I be here at this time?" Kyreg nodded and took off his helmet, the helmet no longer necessary after the initial boot up of his new suit of armour. "Yes. I wanted you both here as you two are my most senior advisors after all. On the matter of the initiates, out of the one hundred, how many will make it through the process?" Armand thought about it for a few moments. "Medically speaking, all of them are compatible with the genes. Physically speaking however, twenty of them are eliminated off the bat by the fact that their skeletal systems are not strong enough to withstand the process." Kyreg looked at the tech marine who would with a flick of his fingers, ignite a projector lamp on his desk which showed a chart of various stocks of armour. "As there are twenty five sets of gene seeds we can use, I can produce twenty five suits of armour. We have enough pieces on board that I can put together twenty nine. There are many other pieces however that will produce none. By doing so however, we will lose the ability to have enough spare parts to repair every working suit on board." Kyreg sighed and tapped an armoured finger against the large bench he was leaning on. "I understand. Prepare eight suits for now. I highly doubt that we will be lucky enough to have twenty five initiates make it regardless. Especially as there is still a long process to go before they receive their implants." The Centurion nodded in agreement while Armand frowned slightly. "Yes, we have been under strength for a while. It's only with your skills Commander, and the types of operation that we conduct have we been lucky. Only broken bones and in your case, broken organs to fix."

"Yes, I understand. That means the initiates must all be trained to an extraordinary level before donning the scales. I'm sure Sergeant Yingr will ensure that."

 ** _Kilo Zeta mortals section_**

"Sir." The Sergeant Major came to attention as Colonel Curtix Aibel stopped in front of him. The Colonel waved him back to at ease as he examined the new group of recruits. There were over five hundred new recruits that they had recruited from the planet. Men and women both, who were veterans of the skirmishes against the Bloodsworn cultists as well as those who were completely untested and untried who wished to join up with the G 6-7. Of course those that passed would be placed in separate squadrons from the Gamma troops, the training level is completely different. The experience needed to be built up from not only training but also experience and combat. Of course the particularly talented would be invited to join the Gamma squadrons but for now, it was simply training.

"How are the new recruits shaping up Sergeant Major?" Sergeant Major Thom Royson simply shrugged a little bit. "They've all passed the basic training requirements. They know how to wear their uniforms, do close order drill and operate weapons. Marksmanship levels are adequate, although there are a few that seem to have real marksman talents. Those I'll be keeping an eye on. This is only day four of indoc sir, so we'll have to see how long they can stay here." The Colonel nodded and smiled. What they called Indoc was the selection process. For two weeks, the recruits are given minimal sleep. A full eight hours was allocated but during those eight hours, the recruits are disturbed once per hour to conduct a combat hump around the interior of the cargo bays or ordered to stand by to conduct combat operations. Many of the times, the combat operations were real. The las rifles issued to them currently were all training models, weapons only capable of producing stun. If a kill shot was fired, the barrel itself would melt without letting the discharge out. Usually a few squads from the G 6-7 teams would act as the infiltrator force. At the same time, power packs were expected to be charged, and squad leaders had been assigned to request more if needed. Right now, there were less than two hundred that stood in front of them. There would be enough to form one squadron by the time it was done. Many of the blooded recruits would be ear marked for leadership assignments and would spend more time shadowing a G 6-7 officer or sergeant and learning directly from them how to lead a special mission unit.

"Those that do not pass, what is the Commanders instructions for them sir?" Colonel Aibel thought about it for a few moments. "I imagine that should they fail, they would be taken in as Legion serfs. Or as servitors depending on how they failed." The Sergeant Major nodded, standing beside the Colonel as they watched the instructors stalk around the recruits who were currently holding a push up position with their las rifles rested on their backs. If a single rifle dropped, the entire course would be punished severely. The instructors stalked around with their multi-environment fatigues and sharply laced up brown felt combat boots. A hot shot las pistol was holstered at each belt while they wore the soft felt sand coloured berets on their heads. The recruits were in rough forest green fatigues with uncomfortable stiff leather boots and full flak jackets with plasteel trauma plates inserted. To top it off, they had to carry their own hydration pack filled with four liters of water as well as dummy grenades and las charge packs. The instructors let nothing get by them, and harsh words as well as kicks to the gut were common. The Colonel nodded approvingly and looked at the Sergeant Major. "I hope we can make something useful out of them. It's been a while since we've had our own direct action squadrons." Thom nodded and saluted the Colonel again before getting back to his duties. The Colonel made some careful notes on a data slate before returning to his office. The Commander would expect a report soon.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 16_**

"Set. Breach." The door was blown open in and stun grenades were thrown in, the dark grey cylindrical tubes detonating with ear shattering bangs and blinding all those inside with iris burning white light. Cyprus moved in quickly with his hellgun raised up, firing in rapid double taps while Troiey followed behind him with his assault shotgun loaded down with flechette shells firing in loud blasts of powder discharges while Silas followed behind them with a suppressed autopistol fitted with a collapse stock and a high capacity magazine. Soft coughs echoed behind the screeches of the hellgun and the loud blasts of the assault shotgun. The room of cultists were torn apart by their assault, bodies with rib cages blasted open by hell bolts or chest cavities torn apart by flechette shells. Here and there were cultists that were dead from the precise three tiny holes in their skulls and the like, the handiwork of the assassin. Scanning left and then right quickly, Cyprus raised the muzzle of the hellgun and gestured towards the back of the former store. Troiey nodded as he flipped his shotgun upside down and began loading more shells in attached to bandoliers at his chest. Silas yawned slightly as he moved towards the back of the store front, stopping at a door to his right that probably led into a storage room of some kind and opened the door quietly, shoving it in wards. The assassin crouched and leaned to look into the room, seeing foul symbols painted over the walls and grimaced a little bit, his normally feminine features distorted in disgust. "We'll need flamers here for sure." Troiey remarked as the assassin turned his head to face them with a disgusted pouting look. Cyprus sighed before closing the door and taking out a can of spray paint out of his assault pack, painted a big orange X over the door and they moved on. This time Troiey took point and headed upstairs with his shotgun raised. Moving slowly upstairs, he would just step over the top floor before noticing all the bodies butchered in the room. Detached limbs with cult tattoos and carvings littered the ground, while heads rested on the floor separated from torso. Unfired weapons were laid on the floor, resting where they were dropped as their former masters were cut apart by some unseen fury.

It was only then Troiey realised that his shotgun had been ripped out of his hands by a black figure. The assault shotgun was tossed aside casually while a lithe limb kicked into his chest denting his body armour. The former arbite was kicked down the stairs, Cyprus moving out of the way before blasting away with his hellgun, howling blasts stitching the upstairs as he advanced while shooting. The former droptrooper Sergeant snarled as he moved upstairs only to have the black figure duck underneath the barrel of his hellgun, the attacker locking their right leg through his left and striking the side of his right leg at a precise spot, causing his leg to numb. With a quick elbow swung into his gut, the attacker sent the Elysian onto his back, the Sergeant quickly skittering back and drawing his hellpistol only to have it sent out of his hand by a stiletto tossed by the black clad figure. The only thing Cyprus could see was the figures purple eyes. Flipping onto his feet, he drew his combat blade and a small back up snub nosed auto pistol from the left side of his waist and aimed the pistol at the figure, firing as the large calibre compact auto pistol roared. Almost in defiance of time itself, the figure tilted its head at the right moment to avoid the first two rounds before in its left hand a needle pistol was produced and then the Sergeant felt only blackness. As the Elysian's body fell backwards, Silas vaulted over the falling body with a flourished twist as he sprayed the auto pistol in his hands at the figure, emptying the fifty round magazine before dropping the pistol onto the ground. He knew that none of the rounds would have hit the figure, having seen the way the figure fought, he knew exactly what they were.

Drawing the razor sharp blade from his back, the curved edged blade glinted in the dark and swung down, his opponent easily blocking the first strike with a combat blade that suddenly appeared in its hands only for Silas to drop down to a crouch faster than an eye can keep track of before the blade appearing in his left hand would be jabbed forward towards his opponents legs. His opponent twisted its body and would stamp down on his hand, disarming him before grabbing his sword arm and pulling him forward with her own blade waiting. Silas grimaced before flipping back and jabbing one of his legs into his opponents chest, shoving it backward before charging again. This time he slid down low and swung his left hand with the combat blade towards the their leg while at the same time he tossed the blade like a spear towards where he figured his opponent most likely to dodge. Instead his opponent flipped themselves backwards and kicked the tossed blade out of the air before looking at him with purple eyes that held amusement. Silas blew a strand of his hair from the side of his lips with annoyance as the figure then bounded out of a window and disappeared onto the street. At this point, Cyprus and Troiey were both coming around, awaking from their forced naps.

"There's another assassin here?" The Inquisitor asked pensively. Silas nodded with an annoyed pout on his face while her other two acolytes stood beside the table shamefully rubbing bruises and the like on their torsos. Cyprus had been hit with a sleep toxin instead of a murderous one while Troiey had been knocked out by his fall down the stairs. "Well they are definitely an assassin; the bodies were cut apart quite skillfully and the attack was of utter surprise. It doesn't even seem like the cultists were able to fire off a single shot." Silas answered as he lounged on a couch at the side of the room while Cyprus and Troiey both looked at each other. The message was clear, they were no match for an assassin. "Which temple, were you able to recognize it?" "Callidus without a doubt darling." The shameless assassin replied as he stretched himself out. The Inquisitor bit her lips and looked over at her two more militant acolytes. "I'm surprised Cyprus, you and Troiey both taken out rapidly. I didn't think there would be a match in the galaxy for you two short of an Astartes." Cyprus looked at her sheepishly and shrugged while her Interrogator pretended he didn't hear her. "This proves interesting. Someone else is here, and I intend to find out who it is." There were still cults being stamped out around the capital city bit by bit, but it would return to Imperial control soon enough. When the Inquisitor had asked Kyreg who the new Governor should be, he shrugged casually and waved an armoured hand at her. She got the feeling that the Legionnaire Commander cared little about mortal governance as long as they were loyal to the Throne.

The PDF was being rebuilt bit by bit, this time those in the country side had been offered positions in them and many took up arms gladly to prevent a tragedy such as this from ever being renacted again. This time, the PDF was to be based out of the capital, the only major city on the planet. Barracks were being constructed while armouries and forges were being created, the Adeptus Mechanicus being coaxed back from their underground lairs having hidden away from the chaos above ground to create weapons for the PDF. Of course an Inquisitorial Rosette helped in convincing them of the importance of such a task. Yet the governor's position remained open even while the other aspects of the government were being rebuilt. She had interviewed countless candidates, the nobles having all perished by the direction of the XX Legionnaires who had decreed that the nobles were the first to fall and thus had them executed. It was a brutal act that sent a message to the entire planet, but it had also made her job much easier. So far the only one who seemed to be fit for the job was a man named Francis Dewalker, a former Imperial Guard officer that had retired from a regiment of the 116th Armageddon that had settled onto the planet. The inquisitor examined the papers and stamped her Inquisitorial seal on it and sighed, before one of the Administratum came in and bowed to her, picking up the signed paper work and would inform the newly stated governor. An inquisitorial assent was one of the highest backings available to a planetary governor but also it did not need to be said that failure would be punished by the Inquisition itself.

 _Can you sense it Farseer? The warp opens again._ The Aeldari corsair ship the Lillith Moon was in orbit itself, cloaked by technology far more advanced than anything Imperial. At the same time they detected only the now lifeless wreck of the Chaos vessel that had been only weeks ago operational. Lillithfeon looked at the dead vessel and frowned slightly. She nodded in answer to the psychic words of Exarch Yiliea, the leader of the Dire Avengers on board. The Corsairs had treated them quite well on the journey, although she knew that after this was over, the price of the bargain would be paid. She had prepared herself for this, knowing what the Prince's intent was. A farseer was a powerful sign of validity on board a corsair ship, and the prince hoped to give himself legitimacy. So be it, it is a small price to be paid in order to recover the hundreds of soul stones that had been lost. _Farseer. My men and I shall proceed onto the planet with you. The webway gates will be activated soon._ Speaking of the Prince, she acknowledged his thought message and would send a psychic acknowledgement back towards him. His arrogance was truly disgusting but he offered assistance when she had needed it most. For that she will tolerate him for now.

The warp indeed opened up and through flew an Imperial cruiser with the large stylized 'I' of the Inquisition. The Aeldari vessel was cloaked from its sensors but they kept their distance regardless. The Inquisitional Cruiser hovered in orbit as it began to deploy its Thunderhawks, sending five of them down to the planet. Lillithfeon looked at the Imperial vessel and closed her eyes for a moment in thought. _Prince. We must deploy then. Soon there will be too many mon'keigh on the planet for us to fulfil our plans._ The reply came quickly. _Very well Farseer, I shall see you in the webway deployment area._

"Commander. Inquisitional cruiser just showed up. Time to go to ground." Centurion Maygis would intone to the Commander, Xythos having returned to the planet but Gungnir still had not. "Sergeant. Inquisitional forces approach. Go to ground brother." Rythor would nod before sending out a vox message to the G 6-7 team leaders. Soon all of the 8th assets would pull out of the city and made their way back to the Outpost where it would be secured. Sentry teams deployed however all around the Outpost in order to maintain surveillance. As well, stealth cloaked servo skulls would be deployed to maintain a wide field of view around the Outpost as well as around the Lorhenge itself. Rythor was glad that for the duration of the battle, they had only shown their true colours in front of the Inquisitors themselves as well as the Theta Grenadiers. As far as everyone else had seen, they had worn the black armour of an unknown Astartes Chapter. Regardless, the Inquisitor would be something that they would have to watch for.

The five Thunderhawks would land in front of the Governors palace, an honour guard of PDF soldiers already waiting their arrival. The Governor himself, Francis Dewalker would be there in a plain dark blue adepts robe. Beside him stood Inquisitor Laneth along with her body guard the Watchmaster and her acolytes. As the ramps moved down and opened, a power armoured figure would walk down the steps followed by a younger man in a long dark grey trench coat. Behind him marched a series of Priests who flung holy water every step they walked. The Governor would step up and bowed deeply. "Inquisitor, I am Governor Francis Dewalker, I hope I may be of service to you Lord." The Inquisitor nodded and looked over at Laneth. "Inquisitor Rendalvel, Ordo Hereticus." The man in power armour nodded and smiled. "I am Inquisitor Gregori Heinzman and this is my acolyte Mikhail Sanova. We are responding to a distress call on the planet that my ship picked up, a report of a rebellion? I see that as you are Inquisitor, I sincerely hope that the issue has been dealt with?" The Governor nodded. "Yes my Lord. We are still hunting down the remains of the chaos cult here but the assistance here provided by the Inquisitor has been extremely helpful." Gregori smiled with a set of pure white teeth. "Excellent Governor. In that case then Governor, I must then request your hospitality. My ship requires re-supply you see, I have just come from battle against renegades and I am pitifully low on ammunition as well as supplies on board." The governor smiled and nodded. "Of course Lord, I am sure that our adepts can confer and figure out the best solution." The Inquisitor nodded and turned to look around at the city. "Emperors blood Inquisitor Laneth, what happened here?" Laneth laughed with fatigue in her voice and shrugged slightly. "Oh typical chaos. Not happy just trying to kill everyone, they must ruin the only proper living quarters here as well. Not that the Astartes who helped us gave much concern either." Gregori raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Astartes? Have they already left then?" Laneth nodded as did the Governor. "Yes, they were a passing cruiser of the Storm Warriors who assisted us. The dead chaos cruiser in orbit was their doing of course as was many.. of these destroyed structures."

"Excellent, excellent then. I had feared that I must expend the remainder of my ammunition stocks in order to put this planet back into the Emperors light again. Well in that case, I shall not trouble you all anymore and will instead try to find satisfactory quarters in the city then. Any suggestions?" Laneth grinned a little bit and would point over to the west. "If you wish for convenience, the Ibris Nautica is still standing somehow. It's a drinking hall with rooms upstairs. If you wish for comfort, then you would have to leave the city and journey to the country side where the battles have not been as intense." Inquisitor Gregori nodded and smiled in thanks and before heading over to the west of the city, followed by his Interrogator who bowed to Laneth before departing as well as the small entourage of priests. "I don't like the looks of him." Silas muttered softly under his breath while Cyprus raised an eyebrow at the assassin. "Truly? You? Not liking the look of someone in pompous gilded armour?" Silas shrugged slightly. "He looks too pompous to be someone who just fought a battle against heretics." Troiey would chime in as well this time. "I agree, his Thunderhawks are far too well maintained to have just come back from a battle somewhere."

"They are hiding something." Interrogator Mikhail stated while Gregori nodded a little. "Of course they are. They are Inquisitors. All of us have our own secrets." Mikhail nodded in agreement. Of course some secrets were darker than others.

The Inquisitor opened his eyes and glanced around the desert around him. He smelled only the acrid scent of battle, the air was filled with the ion scent of plasma discharges. The sweet scent of propellant and even worse, the ozone scent of planetary level lances. He would walk past the ruins of structures that could have once been called beautiful, with symbols of the Emperors worship cast onto the ground and razed. Everywhere he walked, he could see shell casings from bolt guns as well as see the scorches of energy weapon discharges over walls and the remainders of such. He would reach down and found himself unarmed, his bolter pistol no longer holstered at his side nor his power maul in its sheath at his belt. He would try his vox a few times, hearing only blanket static leaving moving forward the only available option to him. He kept walking into the center of the destroyed city, where he could see corpses still smouldering, and blood still liquid on the ground. Standing in the middle was an Astarte, armoured in full black from head to toe. The Astarte looked at him and placed a single finger in front of his vox grill, signing for him to be quiet and then waved the Inquisitor over. Gregori trudged over and the Astarte nodded as if in approval, a phobos pattern bolter held in his hands and began walking forward. The armour was old, a relic armour by all rights. Mark III power armour, it made him wonder where he was. He followed the Astarte who moved forward with a purpose, leading him through various alleyways and streets until he could see out into the plains.

Gregori woke up with a loud gasp, the sound prompting his Interrogator to barge in with an auto pistol scanning the room. Gregori waved slightly as he got up from his bed, his body sweat drenched as he gratefully accepted a thin bottle of water from Mikhail who looked at him curiously. "An odd dream, that is all." His Interrogator nodded as Gregori drained the entire bottle of water in a series of thirsty gulps. "Have they been happening more often?" Mikhail had holstered the auto pistol now, the young man having been raised from a black ship under Gregori's tutelage from a very young age. The Inquisitor nodded and sighed gently as he set the empty bottle down. "This time I saw an Astarte. In all black power armour, and he seemed to be leading somewhere. It is odd though, the Astarte… he was in ancient power armour. Very ancient. I have not seen another example of the one he wore except for the ones from the First Founding Chapters. Even then those suits of armour were worn by chosen veterans, not simply just distributed out."

Mikhail nodded and quickly grabbed another bottle of water from a small bar at the side of the room and placed it beside the Inquisitor, who nodded gratefully. With a bow, he exited the room and would go back to the couch where he slept, covering himself with a large comforter before laying back down. Gregori however laid awake and thought about what he had seen before closing his eyes again to try and get more rest.

"I hope you had a good night's sleep Inquisitor. I know that our accommodations are lack luster in comparison to many other worlds but I hope you'll make allowances due to the conflict we just had." Governor Francis bowed as the Inquisitor entered his office, the Rosette holding much more influence than a simple appointment book. The purple eyed receptionist had just bowed when the Inquisitor had entered and asked to see the Governor, gesturing them forward without a word. It was something that Gregori had gotten used to over many decades of service. "I slept well Governor, do not fear. I am quite grateful for your hospitality, and even more grateful that you have deigned to see me on such short notice." When the Inquisitor had entered, the Governor was just looking over reports with a fresh mug of recaff and a pastry on a plate in front of him. Seeing the Inquisitor, he had quickly ordered another mug and another pastry for his new guest. Gregori bit into the crispy skinned soft pastry, noting with surprise that it seemed to have a rather delicate citrus cream filling. "These are excellent Governor, truly. Can I perhaps be persuaded to have the recipe for these?" The Governor chuckled nervously and wrote an address on a small piece of paper before handing it to the Inquisitor. "I'm afraid I do not possess such a thing, but we do order them from a small bakery here. Their production is quite slow at the moment as they are rebuilding as well but I am sure they will not disappoint you my Lord."

Gregori chuckled and handed the piece of paper to Mikhail, who looked at the address and would make a note to send staff to pick some up. "I'm sure I will not be. I must confess Governor, I have a weakness for pastries. I do not drink, nor do I smoke. But a well-made pastry, well I hope the Emperor pardons me my only vice." Governor Francis looked at him unsure whether or not it was a joke or not. Even planetary Governors did not laugh at Inquisitors lightly. "Onto business however. I must give commendations to your Adepts, Governor. The issue of my lowly stocked magazines seemed to have been rectified and even as we speak, there are workers moving crates upon crates of ammunition on board my Thunderhawks. I hope that you will be sure to send me the bill, an Inquisitorial expense account is rather vast you see." Francis smiled and nodded before bowing his head. "Thank you Lord. I am glad to be of service." Gregori nodded and stood up, walking to the windows and looking outside. "Ah yes, the newly reformed PDF. Tell me Governor, what steps are being taken to ensure their loyalty? I have read the reports from my colleague which stated that the heresy itself started from the Governor and the PDF." Now Francis looked really nervous. "Well Lord, that is something that the Lady Inquisitor and I have been discussing. Do I ask for Commissars to be attached to them? I do not even know quite frankly whether or not Segmentum Command will even allow such a thing. I came from the Guard sir, but I must confess I have never seen a PDF with Commissars attached." Gregori nodded at the man's answer. It was an honest one, and that is something the Inquisitor appreciated. "I am in agreement Governor. Such information is one that escapes me as well. I believe however that steps should be taken. Even if you are to establish your very own Commissariat. That is something that does not lack precedence after all." The Governor nodded as well and would place a few sheaths of reports on the desk from a large file folder. "That is what was suggested to me by the Lady Inquisitor. Her advice of course is something that I do take rather seriously.." It went unsaid that replacing Imperial Governors seemed to be at least half of what the Inquisition seemed to do. "Excellent. I'm glad to hear of it. In that case I will not take up any more of your time." The Governor stood up and saw him off to the front door, the receptionist standing up and bowing as well while the Inquisitor and the Interrogator walked past.

"What do you make of the Governor Mikhail?" Gregori would ask once they had exited the governors palace. "Inexperienced. And I'm sure scared absolutely shitless of Inquisitor Laneth who seems to be monitoring him quite closely." The young Interrogator answered. The Inquisitor has not asked for any escorts, only his personal driver and a staff car. Mikhail opened the door for his master, and got in after him. "Driver, please make a detour. There is a pastry shop that my Lord wishes to patronage."

"Sometimes sir, I truly wonder if you're here to seek heretics or if you're here to seek out new pastries." Mikhail looked over disapprovingly at Gregori who had forgone the power armour he had arrived in, choosing instead to wear a rather much more discreet businessman outfit with inlaid ceramic body armour in the form of a more formal vest over his shirt. Currently, the Inquisitor had a box of the small cream horn pastries and was currently enjoying one of them while getting powdered sugar over the expensive leather interior. "Mikhail, you will learn this as you get older. Throughout all that you have seen and that you will see, you must find some solace and joy in at least one thing in the galaxy because every other aspect of your life will be filled with terrible things that you can never forget." The Interrogator sitting beside him nodded slightly as the car began turning towards the main street in order to get back to the drinking hall they currently resided in. It was then that the driver would blanch at the display in the car and pulled it off to the side. "Sorry Lord, it appears we have a flat." The Inquisitor nodded nonchalantly as he sipped from a paper cup filled with a rather deliciously fragrant recaff while Mikhail would sulk slightly, sipping from a paper cup filled with hot cocoa. The weather here was not terribly cold but it was not warm either. Being technically underground, it seemed to be in a perpetual state of autumn rather than any true winter or summers. Gregori smiled a little, it seemed that it would be a long time before he truly got through to Mikhail. The young man was devoted to his job, without any singular hobbies aside from the job. He had seen this many times before and it always lead to one thing at the end; corruption. Eventually he will become the very thing that he seeks to stop. That is exactly how it happens, how respected Inquisitors are driven over the edge.

The sudden howl of a las discharge could be heard, the Inquisitor and Mikhail both looking up as the driver was knocked down by a las bolt straight through the head. Then as one, both sides of doors had their locking mechanisms struck, the las bolts melting the circuitry controlling the lock and unlock of the rear doors. Mikhail quickly dropped his cup and drew his auto pistol and flicked the safety off while the Inquisitor would sigh and gently placed his cup down on a cup holder while drawing his bolt pistol. For a few moments, nothing happened. "We're trapped in here Inquisitor. We have no way of getting out." The man grimaced and considered firing into the window but decided that if the shot ricocheted, it was going to kill one of the men inside. Then from the various alleyways exited black uniformed men with full gas masks that covered their features, with Cadian pattern las guns that were common enough it provided no information as to their origins. Their leader looked at a time piece and waited simply. That's when the Inquisitor realised that perhaps they had been drugged and in a few seconds, both men collapsed onto each other as the toxins in their beverages finally took a hold of them.

Seeing the two men collapsed inside, lascutters were brought forward and the doors were carefully cut out and the two men were removed and thrown into the back of four vehicles that drove into the street. The armed men boarded the vehicles before they took off, leaving the dead driver and the cut apart staff car there on the street. The vehicles would speed through the streets, heading south and taking the occasional turn into an alleyway before finally the small convoy would turn down a main street and enter an underground parking lot that had existed from before the war. However anyone that followed into the underground parking lot would not find a single trace of the black vehicles that had taken the Inquisitor away.

He opened his eyes and saw sand again. The desert around him still there as he took a deep breathe in of the acrid air. He looked around only to see the black armoured Astarte standing there, as if waiting for him. The Astarte would repeat the gestures again, a single armoured finger in front of his vox grill and then a wave, gesturing for him to follow. He would follow the Astarte again through the mazes of the destroyed city until he would see the plain again. A large open plain with massive Stormbirds as well as Thunderhawks alike. He could see the golden coloured crafts of the Legios Custodes, as well as a bright golden figure that stood out in his mind above all. He was about to speak when the Astarte would place an armoured finger in front of the Inquisitors face this time and shook his head. The message was clear, do not speak. Dumbfounded, he obeyed and continued to look. Behind the Emperor stood Astartes, Astartes that he recognized. Ultramarines. They stood in a long line that seemed to stretch for miles while golden armoured Custodians stood behind the Emperor. Almost as if someone was lifting a mist from his eyes, he saw them as well. Dusk blue armoured Astartes cradling sniper rifles covered with cameoline cloaks. Dust was smeared on their armour, rendering them almost invisible but for some reason, he could see them all. And then standing in front of the Emperor was a figure in a beautifully crafted suit of power armour. Behind him were tens of thousands, no, more than one hundred thousand Astartes in gilded grey power armour. It could be seen however that a few thousand here and there wore dark red. Those he didn't recognize but he soon uttered a cry of pain as his psychic senses were overwhelmed and he was forced onto his knees. As he looked up, he saw that every single one of the silver armoured Astartes was on their knees, as well as the much taller figure that stood in front of the Emperor. The black clad Astarte it seemed, was not affected.

"My son, why do you defy me still? Why? In my campaign to unite all of Earth, I burned every church on the planet that sought to entreat with deities. Every icon of religion has been cast down as my crusade reaches the stars and beyond. Why then still, must you disobey me?" The voice could only have been that of the Emperors, the voice radiating infinite power. It was a voice that humbled those that heard it but yet had a sense of command to it that he could not explain. As if the voice itself was the paragon of all that mankind could be, and it would be recognized by all of humanity as their true ruler. He looked at the scene in front of him, struck dumb and mute by the sheer majestic qualities of the Emperor. "Tell me Lorgar. Did you give me your loyalty, your fealty on Colchis? Your brother Magnus was there as witness. So tell me my son, why do you still defy my edict on religion? There is only the Imperial Truth and I tire of your inefficiencies. You spend months converting a planet while your brothers have moved on to bring more glory to mankind."

"Father, I only seek to show people your rightful role.. I only sought to give you the worship which must be demanded!" Lorgar spoke in reply to the Emperor, his voice holding not even a candle up to the potency that was the Emperor yet it still had an overwhelmingly rich quality to it. "Enough! This is your last chance Lorgar. Will you serve me as a loyal son or will you continue to defy my edicts?" Lorgar bowed his head in submission and the Emperor nodded. As one, the dusk blue armoured Astartes would withdraw from their position, moving silently past the black armoured Astarte and Gregori almost as if they were not truly there. In minutes, the Legionnaire snipers had disappeared into the dusty terrains.

The Emperor seemed to nod in satisfaction as Lorgar continued. "I will serve Father. I will serve you the way you have commanded." The rightful ruler of mankind nodded once more before departing. Only when the Emperor and his Custodians had entered back into a golden Stormbird and taken off towards orbit did the Ultramarines do the same. They left the XVII legion there in the dust. As Lorgar stood up, his shoulders were hunched, no longer containing the passion which had characterized him. He commanded his Legion to stand as well and he made for his craft while his advisors followed him. The rest of the Legion seemed to just wander into small groups and make for their own transport crafts but they seemed.. lost. The Imperial Truth? The Inquisitor thought to himself before his black armoured guide gently shook his shoulders to get his attention. The Astarte looked at him as if to ask if he understood now. He nodded once, his mind in disarray as he tried to process what he had just seen. The Emperor despised religion. The Emperor despised worship of him. What then would the Emperor think now of the Churches in his name and the worship of Him by the Imperium?


	17. Chapter 17

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 17_**

He awoke to find himself in a plain room, not a single light in it. Grimacing slightly, he got up to find that his weapons were taken from him. So be it then, he had other means in his arsenal. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus his psyker powers to probe what was outside these walls but he could find no method of doing so. Getting up, he walked around and examined each wall carefully, with no signs of a door being found. The only thing there was a toilet and a sink, with his bed in the middle. He again looked around for cameras and could not detect any but as he would search, he could detect faint life senses outside of the walls. At least his powers were not completely gone. There was one last method he could find to escape. Whoever had captured them must have learned of his secrets.

Sitting down on the floor beside the bed, he bit the tip of his fingers and smiled a little bit, before using the bloodied fingertip to draw a small pattern on the floor. After a moment, the pattern glowed. Smiling, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the darkness within and in moments, he felt more powerful than he ever had before. Standing up, he looked at the walls around him and quickly summoned his powers. The room would frost over for a moment before the four walls would melt down on the ground to expose a complex network of hallways that had been covered by the walls. He flung some more of his blood onto the ground; the droplets of blood began moving of their own accord as he focused on them. Yes, that way was the way out. He followed the path of blood that had been formed, every so often letting his fingertip bleed some more onto the ground. Of course in moments, he could see his wardens. Black uniformed troops aiming weapons at him. With a grin to his face that belied the calm countenance that had previously been seen, he made a gesture with a single word and the troops were knocked back by an invisible force.

 _Yes, do it. Use it. That is why you have taken this path for so long. Revel in it my child._ The voice hissed in his head as he smiled even as his eyes shed tears of blood. With another wave, the soldiers on the ground were lifted up and smashed into the end of the hallway by an unseen force with some speed and brutality that their bodies crumpled with every bone in their body broken. After half an hour, he found himself standing in front of a door that he would rip open to reveal the cool air of the outside and stepped out to find himself still in Lorhenge, in a small alley way. Chuckling to himself, he would walk out not noticing that his shadow bore a much more malicious form than previous. It was time for him to complete his mission. _See you can trust me to provide for you my child._

He awoke again and this time looked around him only to see the same black armoured Astarte in front of him. "Where am I, space marine?" He would ask groggily and the Astarte simply shrugged slightly. Perhaps he was still dreaming. He found himself in a very small room, just big enough to hold the Astarte and him. He got up out of the bed and shook his head a few times and checked himself for any injuries. There were none it seemed. "How long was I out for?" He asked again. The Astarte held up six fingers. Six hours? Six days? Six weeks? He felt groggy, as if he had slept for an entire day straight and walked around the small room a few times. "Are you my warden then?" His companion shook his head and pointed a finger at the ceiling. He looked up and saw a painting of the Emperor, his majesty somehow translated into the painting itself. Around him stood a single Astarte from each of the First Founding Legions, not just the loyalists. He was surprised to see World Eaters, Thousand Sons, all of them, every single Legion was represented. The message was quite clear however. The only warden of humanity was the Emperor. This at least comforted him; he was in the hands of loyalists it seemed. The Astarte would gesture for him to follow again as a doorway appeared. He followed his companion who walked down the hallway to lead him into a large room with large screens that began to play as soon as he entered. He turned to ask another question of the Astarte but he was gone. He could only stare at the screen and watch as the figure in the screen summoned blood magic. Blood magic, used only by Chaos worshippers. He hissed slightly in disgust as he watched the figure draw a small seal on the floor. That must have been his sacrificial circle. Then the camera followed the figure as he flung guards about and killed them rather brutally after melting the walls surrounding his chamber in a fling of blood. His greatest shock came when the figure had turned his head and saw that it was Mikhail. But not the Mikhail he had remembered. The Mikhail he saw in the screen had blood dripping out of his tear ducts and a cold smile on his face. He watched as his shadow grew to something monstrous, something that could only be described as daemonic as he walked out of the facility and out onto the streets.

The next screen showed his bridge, the bridge of his Inquisitional Cruiser. He watched as his loyal Captain and various bridge staff were forced onto their knees and executed with chainswords held by other staff that he recognized. Staff that he had always thought as unassuming but loyal to a fault. They too looked different now, with their uniforms defaced with foul symbols drawn of blood. He gritted his teeth as he watched the Imperial symbols defaced with chainswords and blood, as symbols were drawn in blood all over the bridge and his former Interrogator became more than he ever should have been. "Why are you showing me this? What is all this?"

"That is the truth of what had happened in the six days since you have been asleep." A rich voice answered him from behind. Turning his head, he saw the dusk blue power armour that had appeared in his dreams but he was shocked at the symbols on it; the hydra of the XX Legion. With a snarl, he reached into his pocket only to find that his weapons had been taken from him. The Alpha Legionnaire shrugged and gestured towards a table where his weapons were placed. He looked at the table suspiciously and glanced at the Astartes standing there. "I won't try to stop you Inquisitor. But please do think of what would happen if you were to shoot me with a bolt pistol." He sighed for a moment before grabbing his weapons, feeling a bit more secure now that he was at least armed. "So this is where I've been captured. By Alpha Legion traitors." He snarled as he checked his bolt pistol. The Legionnaire looked at him without any answer for a moment before chuckling deep from within his helmet. The Astarte took off his helmet and locked it at his side before looking at the Inquisitor. He was completely bald, and had the same features as the images of Alpharius that Gregori had once seen.

"What do you want then traitor?" The Legionnaire sat down on a bench and shook his head. "And what presumes me to be a traitor Inquisitor?" Gregori sat back down and glared at the marine for a moment. "You're from the XX legion. They turned against the Emperors light and took the side of the arch traitor Horus. How are you not a traitor?" The Astarte shrugged for a moment. "The only time I've fought beside the Warmaster was when he was still the Emperors favoured son. Besides, I am no traitor Inquisitor. I am loyal to the Emperor." The Inquisitor frowned for a moment and looked back at the screen. "Why are you showing me this then?"

"Because I want you to see the true threat. Your acolyte, he is not what he seems." The Inquisitor sighed and shook his head. "No, he is not. I do not know how he has been corrupted by Chaos. Perhaps it would have been better if he was sacrificed to the Golden Throne instead of being taken in by me." The Marine nodded once. "Yes, it would have been. But you have been deceived from the very start. Was it not him that suggested you stop here to refuel and resupply?" The Inquisitor nodded. "Yes, it was. We had been on a mission for a long time, chasing a Chaos cult. It has been at least a decade since we completed it, and Mikhail suggested that we stop here as it was close to the edge and would allow for us to check on the planet. Of course he had shown me a while after the vox message claiming that cultists had overrun Imperial rule. That is not something that I can look past after all." The Legionnaire laughed a little. "Clever boy. He baited you here because he was hoping that his master was still in power. Yes, Chaos truly was in control here. Was." The Inquisitor looked at the Astarte for a moment. "And what happened to it?"

"It was exterminated of course. You must understand Inquisitor, galaxy belongs to the Emperor of Mankind. We carry out his will." Gregori sighed and thought to himself at what he had been shown. The image of the Emperor, it could not be faked. The way even as a psychic memory which is what he recognized it, could not fake something so extraordinary. "You cannot expect me to believe that you are loyal to the Throne." He asked as he looked back at the screen. "Inquisitor, from everything you have been told, there is one large part that has been left out. And left out on purpose by the Imperium. Not all of the fallen Legions turned traitor. There have been many Marines from the traitor chapters that retained their loyalty to the Emperor. Not all of them were killed at Isstavan. I would know, I was there. Besides, if I wished to manipulate you right now, I would appear to you as a member of the Raven Guard or a loyalist Chapter. I doubt even you know each individual chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. No, I come to you in my true colours because I am loyal to the Emperor."

The Astartes words held truth to them, and after what he had seen about the Emperors own stance on worship, the Inquisitor was beginning to believe the Astarte. "Those of us born of Terra, we stayed loyal. Most of us, anyway. There are pockets out there still of loyalist legionnaires who hide as pirates, intervening on the side of the Imperium when they can. So believe me when I tell you this Inquisitor, saying that every member of the fallen legions are traitors to the Emperor is the same as saying every member of the Inquisition is a loyal agent of the Throne." Those last words rang quite true to him. "I cannot debate the merit of that statement, Astarte. Truer words has not been spoken." He sighed as he covered his face with his hands, his mind racing as he examined the facts placed before him and found them to be true. "Well then Astarte, tell me. What do you wish of me then?" The Astarte thought about it for a moment. "I wish Inquisitor, for you and I to work together. We both know the Inquisition is filled with corruption. Not the corruption of Chaos necessarily but the corruption of wealth, personal power, as well as advancement. That is the way of mortals ever since the Emperor united humanity on Terra." The Inquisitor nodded in agreement but thought about his offer. "What do you mean work together."

"You may call me Kyreg, Gregori. That was the name given to me by the Legion. As for how we work together, you must know then in the Great Crusade, Legions had mortal agents that did things no Astarte can. I wish the same of our arrangement now. In return, I will promise you assistance when you require it. Assistance that will not compromise you. I believe you to be a loyal servant of the Emperor, Inquisitor. But I want you to think on this for a moment before you believe my offer to be overstepping my bounds as we have just met. I can say that I have no desire for coin, nor women, nor power. If I wished for power, I could rule this planet right now and dispose of the Governor and the Lady Inquisitor easily. And you can see quite clearly that even amongst our ship, there have been no signs of opulence. I wish only to serve the Emperor. I do not include the High Lords of Terra in that statement, make no mistake. I have seen how the greed of mortal men have diluted the Imperium to the state that it is now. Now, can you say the same about the Inquisitor Lords in charge? Or even the Inquisitional representative on Terra?"

The Inquisitor nodded after a few moments of thought. "You are quite correct in that statement, space marine. But I will not serve you as my master." The Astarte laughed at his statement. "The only true master of humanity, Inquisitor, is the Emperor. And I do not presume to put myself at the same level of him. No Inquisitor, my agent. We will provide each other with assistance when required. And we will both need each other in the times to come, I believe. Besides, you have no ship. You are somewhat at a disadvantage and I have no qualms in admitting that I will use your disadvantage as my boon." Gregori laughed for a moment, surprisingly put at ease by the Astartes mannerisms. "Then I suppose you leave me little choice. Yes, I will agree to such an arrangement. But do not think of me as naïve, Kyreg. I am sure you have your own agenda." Kyreg smiled a little. "Of course I have my own agenda. I've even told you my agenda. I will serve the Emperor, and I will do so until my life ends on the battlefield."

The door opened and Inquisitor Laneth would walk in with an annoyed look on her face as she looked over at Kyreg and Inquisitor Gregori. "Are you two boys done bonding over boyish delights or can we get back to work?" Gregori looked at her in surprise at her casual address of the Astarte. "Inquisitor Laneth has been shown the truth, Inquisitor. I do not think that she will execute you. She is much more likely to execute me." Laneth snarled at him and shook her head, before turning to smile at Gregori. "I'm sorry Gregori, but the Commander here is a fan of melodramatics. You will find that he is deadly effective at what he does but I personally can't stand him for long." Gregori smiled weakly as he stood up while Kyreg stood up with an exasperated look on his face. "Tell me then Laneth, why do you hang around my ship as if you own it then?" The female Inquisitor shrugged as she walked out, followed by Gregori who bowed slightly to Kyreg who returned the bow as they made their way to the ships bridge. "What is our plan now then?" Gregori asked.

"We pursue your vessel, Inquisitor. You are welcome to come with us if you wish although I am not sure if you will question our methods or not. Or you can stay on the planet with Inquisitor Laneth." The Commander answered as he arrived on the bridge. Laneth thoughtfully looked over at the planet for a few moments. "I think Inquisitor, it is best if you stay on the planet with me. The planet still needs much cleansing, and I believe it is honest work for an Inquisitor." Gregori nodded in agreement. "I trust then Kyreg, you will ensure that my honour is done? Mikhail must die." Kyreg nodded and shrugged after a moment. "Of course. That is the plan. I am unsure when we will next return but I trust our agreement is still valid, Laneth?" Laneth nodded before leading Gregori out of the bridge where her acolytes awaited her. "What deal did you two make?" He asked once they were out of earshot. "The Commander wishes to command. That means that he wishes Tyven V to become a recruiting world for him and his remnants. I really hope you can at least trust him, Gregori. It's a shame for if he was a member of the Imperial Fists or the Blood Angels, he would be revered in the Annals of Terra but he is a Hydra and thus will never receive acknowledgement." Gregori frowned a little as he thought about her words. "He is sincere. I have felt that when we spoke. He reminds me of.. well he is not like the traitor marines that I have ever fought." She laughed when he said that. As he looked at her questioningly, she shook her head. "I feel the same way when I stand beside him. He reminds me of the stoic and reserved Astarte Veterans I have had the honour of fighting beside. I mean, it also makes him an arrogant ass." She said with a laugh. From the bridge, Kyreg snorted a little as the ships overall surveillance system fed him their conversation.

As the Inquisitors and their staff were sent back to the planet, Kyreg stood on the bridge and looked over the coordinates that the tracker they had fired onto the Inquisitorial vessel was currently heading towards; he would smile as he saw where they were heading into a system known for renegades. It was a place where the 8th would thrive without needing to adhere to any specific restrictions. After all, there were innocents on board the vast space station. Just inside of the Halo Zone was a space station well known to renegades as well as traitors alike. The only faucets of Imperial representation are the Rogue Traders who gladly enter it in search of rare items that will put more coins in their purses. The space station was known as the Marauder Station, controlled by a renegade Magos called Zykirah who was once a tech adept of great renown until he began to really experiment and try to produce xenos tech. His adepts and him were chased out to the Halo Zone where he managed to turn the former Mechanicus battleship he operated into a massive space station that held salvation to those who entered. The price was of course, a tax that was levied on every trade made on the space station but it meant a safe haven for renegades of all sorts to conduct their business. However those that have given themselves over in worship chaos was allowed only under strict conditions. There, mercenaries can be hired as well as rare and forbidden items exchanged.

Kyreg would look on as Centurion Maygis plotted the new coordinates and ordered the Kilo Zeta to head for the ghoul stars, the human serfs carrying out the orders quickly and efficiently. Due to the lack of recruitment, the 8th had been forced to use more mortals than ever before, much more than many other Astartes vessels. Kyreg smiled as the warp drives engaged and the Gellar Field was ensured to be set at maximum before the vessel would dive into the warp under the careful guidance of careful guidance of the Navigator. What navigator house would serve the XX Legion? The answer was quite simple. The ones that had been taken and shown the Imperial Truth, they are the ones who fall onto their knees with their faith broken and their understanding opened.

 ** _Four weeks later_**

Kilo Zeta drifted in towards the massive space station as Kyreg and the rest of Xythos entered onto the bridge to watch. The ship's crew would pilot the vessel closer in until it had docked carefully onto one of the loading docks. Around them were warships of all sorts, whether human, or xeno. Kyreg nodded and sent out a vox to the Astartes under his command. "Blackshield protocol now." Blips of acknowledgements came over the vox as the Legionnaires all activated the holographic projector built into their power armour, with Legion colours and insignias covered up by all black. The ship itself was of a neutral build, without any insignias showing allegiances to Chaos or to the Imperium. Perfect for an environment such as this, Kyreg thought as he waited to be hailed.

"Glory to the Magos, you are welcomed to the Marauder Den, Vignir." Vignir was the disguise used by the ship. As far as the Magos knew, the Vignir was a band of renegades who used his den to trade as well as resupply themselves. To a point, it was true. Raw ores and metal ingots were purchased and that is what was used in order to produce the ammunition on board the ship. Kyreg looked at the data screen inside his helmet and saw that the tracker placed the ship they were chasing here as well. Of course, they had quite a head start after them but they held the element of surprise. "Glory to the Magos, we require metal ingots once again. The same order as always." After a few moments of dead air, the reply came back. "Very well renegade, the price of course has risen due to Imperial actions. I trust that will not be a problem?" Kyreg smirked under his helmet before replying. "It will be of no problems to me but it may be a problem for you if the Magos finds out you've been trying to profit off of his merchandise." The tech adept he was speaking to was always seeking to improve his own wealth, but of course for those that did not know any better, they would mistake them as enemies. "Very well the usual price it is Vignir." Kyreg chuckled and led Xythos to the docking port where he would exit. Taleon would remain on board to defend it in case someone tried to hijack it but he was not concerned for such things, not here. On board the space station, conflicts were not allowed, period. In fact there were precious few who were even allowed to carry arms on board, renegade Astartes being one of them. The reason was simple, the Astartes have the potential to kill most living creatures in the galaxy with their bare hands so having weapons or not made no difference. Of course the law was quite strict, any Astartes who started a fight risked having their vessels seized and their warband attacked by heavy weapon servitors.

Kyreg exited the docking bay where now servitors carrying large quantities of the metal ingots he had asked for were being rushed on board to deposit the desired items. In exchange, he would ensure that large quantities of precious metal would be sent back. Gold, titanium, and silver, none of them were items he had any need for. However for the renegade Magos, such things were used in circuit boards and the like, and were precious commodities indeed. He walked down the hall which led into a massive market place inside, the hallway itself patrolled by security servitors armed with heavy bolters and assault cannons that moved on small tracked platforms, their human legs having been removed long ago in the name of efficiency. He kept his weapons clamped to the side of his armour, having no need of them. Inside the market place were humans and xeno, all selling their different wares. Further down were the mercenaries, warband leaders standing waiting for a good bid for their services. He could see Kroot, Dark Eldar, and even human troops. Of course the ones he was always fascinated by were the renegade Astartes. There were many in loyalist colours, as well as black shields. The variety was huge and there were many of them. They all eyed him with suspicion as he walked past him with his retinue, with good reason. The only ones he was interested in was a group of Astartes standing by themselves, separate from the other renegades who wore a mixture of different armour. There were those in the slate white armour of the XVI, the blue and white of the XII, even the dark red and bronze of the XV. The ones that interested him the most however was a small group of those in dusk blue, of the XX. Were they traitors or simple renegades? Those were answers that he did not care although he wished to find out at some point. Not now however, now he had work to do. The 8th would spread themselves out in the market place, with their scanners on. The tracker had only been added onto the ship so they were unable to locate specific personnel. Suddenly a large explosion rocked the upper portion of the star port. Alarms began to sound and Kyreg swore in his helmet. Gun servitors seemed to be rapidly moving up towards the upper levels where the sound of gunfire and roars could be heard.

"Regroup now, towards the entrance. We must secure the entrance itself before we ascertain what has happened. Taleon, stand to. We may require the Hydra's fangs." Acknowledgements came from Taleon as more orders were given. "Ladon, reinforce now. Gungnir, Helix pattern." Sergeant Fratis would lead his squad forward out from the ship itself and towards the entrance way, bringing Ladon as well as two G 67 operatives manning a Rapier Laser Destroyer. Sergeant Rythor moved in closer towards Xythos squad, his own squad carrying combi-bolters instead of their usual compliment of sniper rifles. Above, more gun fire could be heard, the sounds of a heavy bolter roaring away although it was hard to tell who was shooting at who. With a hand gesture, they activated their active camouflage and began moving up past the market. The Astartes in Legion colours did not seem to be part of the same group, as they each rushed off to their own defensive positions and awaited what would come. The renegade Astartes of course, had already began to withdraw. A fight on board the Marauder Den brought no true profit to anyone.

Before they had gotten up the staircase, a gun servitor was thrown from the top level and landed on the ground floor with a loud crunch and a sickening crack as body fluids began to leak out of the broken creature. Kyreg looked up just in time to see more gun servitors as well as tech adepts being thrown off. One of them would arrest his fall with a metallic cable arm that extended from its side before skittering off towards the exit.

"Commander, one tech adept. I believe it's Kretis." Kyreg thought for a moment before replying to Frathis. "Detain him. Assure his safety. He has treated us quite well." An acknowledgement came as Ladon quickly waved the tech adept forward to stay behind them. Kyreg set his preysights on and through the walls, he saw almost no heat signatures. What sort of creatures they were, he knew not but they soon revealed themselves. Stomping forward with roars of bloodthirst were daemons. Khornate bloodletters roared and aimed their flaming blades at those below and lept down without any concerns of distance. Behind them floated who else but the former Interrogator Mikhail. Except he had grown horns and floated above the ground itself. With a roar, the Legion Astartes opened fire, their bolts not doing much to the bloodletters who charged with a roar of challenge. Kyreg gritted his teeth and looked over at Mikhail who was laughing as he flung great streams of flame towards any that remained. A large bout of flames melted through a few of the Legion Astartes as well as renegades who had began to fire as well. Gun Servitors would join the battle but the few that did were reduced to piles of flesh and machine by the bloodletters.

"Commander?" The voice of Ulyr brought his mind back into focus and the Commander grinned. "Very well. Librarian.. shield yourself." Thodor sighed and braced his mind for what will come, for it had been done before. Ulyr would issue a thought command to his power armour, and a small black ring that was set into his armour would power down before the waves of nothingness would rip through the small space. Thodor gasped and dropped down to a knee as the Commander drew his phase blade. "For the Emperor!" Kyreg roared as he charged with Ulyr by his side. His warcry drew the attention of the Legion Astartes who was starting to retreat. Mikhail glanced over at them and smirked before firing another stream of fire towards them, although the fire would dissipate to nothing as it reached to just in front of the Commander. Even the Khornate daemons would begin to hesitate slightly as their connection to the warp was being closed off. It was then that the bolter fire of the Legion Astartes began to take their toll. "Send them back to the warp brothers!" Kyreg took a chance and roared to the Legion Astartes who began to unite as one and formed a more solid firing line. "Brothers, we require the Fangs." Mythis grabbed the teleport homer and threw it to right in front of the Khornate daemons and with a flash, Sergeant Lefias appeared with the rest of Taleon. With baroque finery and power axes, the cataphractii armoured veterans would sweep their power axes with ferocity through the closest bloodletters, who screamed their defiance even as they exploded in a flash of warp stink. The sons of Hydra rallied to the side of the Learnaean terminators and fired with their stalker bolters, some drawing power daggers. Kyreg looked on with satisfaction as his phase blade cut through the daemons who began to retreat bit by bit, the null field of Ulyr bringing a sense of fear into their soulless bodies.

Those in the red and bronze armour of the XV however were down on their knees almost and Gungnir stepped in front of them with their combi-bolters roaring as blasts of melta and bolt shells cleared a small space in front of them. Kyreg shoved a bloodletter out of the way while Ulyr brought up his power sword and decapitated it, the Commander charging towards Mikhail who now was beginning to bite his lips in danger before he turned tail and ran for it. However as he ran for it, Kyreg drew a bolt pistol and fired six rounds right into his retreating back. Each of the shells would hit the former Interrogator but bright lights of red and purple would pour out of his holes instead of blood as he continued. With a snarl, Kyreg turned back towards the bloodletters who were being cut down now that they no longer had the powers of the warp helping them. The battle itself was over as a white armoured Wolf slashed a power axe through the last one, the daemon screaming in rage as it dissipated in a puff of warp light. Kyreg ordered the 8th to stand to in case their new found allies began to fire. Gungnir stood beside Xythos in front of the Legionnaires, as Lefias and his terminators would step up to form a thick wall of power armour against the renegades who now were eyeing the Commander with curiosity and just a hint of bloodthirst.

"You all rallied to the cry of the Great Crusade. I will know who you all are."


	18. Chapter 18

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 18_**

The Legion coloured Astartes looked at Kyreg, the telltale signs of private vox communiques clicking back and forth. Those of the XX Legion would walk to in front of Kyreg and their leader seemed to pause for a moment before speaking. "You are accompanied by the XX Legions Lernaean. I would know who you are first." Kyreg paused for a moment before letting the holographic projection of the blackshield armour fade to reveal the dusk blue underneath. "I am Commander Kyreg of the 8th Shroud. And I believe that you are all in the same boat as me. Abandoned by Legion and Primarch alike. Abandoned by the Imperium at large but your loyalty to the Emperor remains strong." At his words, the XX Sergeant and the other XX Legionnaires all went on a knee in front of him.

"I am Sergeant Daygis, Asgeir Squad of the 12th." Kyreg nodded and looked towards the others. At his words, the Luna Wolves Captain went down on a knee as well. "I am Captain Ikanis of the 45th Luna Wolves Company." The XII Legionnaires would kneel as one. "Sergeant Atilius, of the War Hounds 91st Century." The Legionnaires of XV would not kneel, instead bowing their heads lowly. "I am Sergeant Tarquin of the Armitara 9th Company." Kyreg nodded and gestured for them to rise. "Honour is done brothers." The Legionnaires rose and the Thousand Sons stood straight again, each of them looking at him. "Tell me, truthfully. Swear it on the Emperor and the Golden Throne. Do you mean what you said?" The Luna Wolves Captain would ask, stepping forward towards the Commander.

Kyreg nodded as he faced the XVI Captain. "I meant every word Captain. We, all of us are products of the Great Crusade. Those of the fallen legion that still remember the Oaths we took as we marched out from Terra onto the void crafts of the Great Crusade. Thousand Son, be not afraid to scan my mind and see the truth." Sergeant Tarquin nodded and his compatriots all closed their eyes as the grounds around them frosted over, and Kyreg let out a cry as his nose began to bleed inside his helmet. He was steadied by the hand of Thobor who nodded at the Thousand Sons to continue. A few moments later, the frost quickly disappeared and the XV Sergeant nodded. "It is the truth. I am honoured Commander to see your memories. I am not worthy." Kyreg shook his head and put up a hand to reassure them before taking off his helmet. "The psyker, the one who brought the daemons here. I am seeking to hunt him down and slay him. However, I do not know the state of the space port and my sensors indicate the ship he is on has launched so I will need to follow him once again. There are choices left to you all. You can remain here and sell your services for repairs. Or you can come with me. I do not answer to the High Lords of Terra, we all know they are mortals prone to their own greed. If you shall once again walk under the Emperors Aquila, then come with me."

After a few moments of thoughts and discussion on private vox channels, Captain Ikanis stepped forward. "Commander, we are unanimous. We will serve." Kyreg smiled and nodded. "Tell me Captain, have you ever met Captain Tiryanos of the 75th Company?" The Terran born Captain tilted his head and nodded. "Yes. The 75th were noted for ship boarding actions. The Primarch often used them as the spear tip when a ship boarding was required." The War Hound Sergeant growled in approval, for it was a way of war they approved of. Kyreg smiled broadly and took off his armoured left gauntlet, displaying a tattoo that went over his entire hand onto the rest showing an eye inside of a massive shield. "I served under the Shield Captain when I was a new Initiate of the XX. He granted me the honour of the Shield Bearer mark when I departed for my own legion." Kyreg would place the gauntlet back on as one of the legionnaires bearing a volkite charger and a power axe would walk up to him before smashing the flat of his power axe against his own left armoured arm. In reply, Kyreg grinned. The other Legionnaires around them tensed for a moment but Kyreg broke out into a rich laughter. "Captain, this legionnaire here. He's not from the 45th is he?" Ikanis shook his head. "In that case, I will know your name Legionnaire." The Astarte standing in front of him and removed his helmet with a grin. "I am Legionnaire Orthuris, 75th Company Tyrannis Squad."

"May your blade arm strike true." Kyreg began. "And your shield arm undefeated." Finished Orthuris. The two grasped each other's forearms in a warriors hand shake. Ikanis looked at the Commander questioningly. "Tyrannis Squad was the personal command squad of the 75th Company. Under Captain Tiryanos, it is the squad I served in. He did me much honour by allowing me to serve directly under him and Orthuris here is a veteran." Ikanis would grin under his helmet and nodded. Kyreg placed his helmet back on and gestured towards the exit. "Come with us then brothers."

Kyreg would nod at Sergeant Lefias and led the contingent back towards the exit where they would make their way onto the Kilo Zeta. "What of your terminator brethren?" The Warhound Sergeant would ask but Sergeant Daygis would answer. "It is a tradition amongst the XX Legion, brother." The sound of loud crumps could be heard as well the sound of Volkite discharges that would ring through the hallways. A few moments later, Sergeant Lefias led Taleon through the docking port entrance. Kyreg smiled underneath his helmet. "No witnesses, Brother Warhound. No enemy shall glimpse the Fangs of the Hydra and live to tell the tale." Atilius chuckled in approval. "I believe Commander, you have captured the spirit of the XII quite well." Kyreg smiled as the pressure door was closed and the blast doors to the inside of the vessel was opened. "I'm afraid brothers, there will be no pomp like the time of the Great Crusade to greet you." He stated simply as they would walk into a large hallway that held a multitude of serfs attending to their duties as well as sentry servitors who at a thought command from the Commander, scanned the new additions and added them into a log of non-targets. "Sergeant Fratis. Please have Ladon show them their new quarters as well as the relevant areas. Legion Officers, we shall conduct a briefing in six hours. If you have need of ammunition, please let Sergeant Fratis know. He will communicate with our tech marines."

The double doors to the war room opened up and admitted the new additions to the Kilo Zeta. The Thousand Sons had been tested by Thobor as well as the potent powers of Sergeant Yingr and were found to be clean of any taint. Their tales were recorded down in the Annals of the Ship as remembrance. Then the Thousand Sons had spread throughout the others and tested them. The Warhounds had balked at this but the Kyreg's orders were not negotiable. In times like this, everyone must be tested. The Thousand Sons and the Alpha Legionnaires had accepted it without complaint, but the Warhounds and the Luna Wolves had grumbled; of course the Warhounds had grumbled the most. It was quite obvious why the XVI and the XII had adapted their Terran given names of their legion, to separate themselves from those of their Legions that had fallen. It was also their Legions that had abandoned them and the Emperor in the paths they walked. The Alpha Legionnaires had been born of Terra, not a member of the first two thousand as Kyreg and the 8th were but in the later recruitment drives that had expanded the XX. The Wolves had a mixture of Cthonian and Terran, while the Warhounds were all Terran as well. The Thousand Sons, they were born of Prospero and the rubric had also healed their flesh changes; their psyker power protecting them from becoming the automatons that now formed the bulk of the XV. Geneseeds from the dead had been recovered and labelled as separate, and placed into the stasis fields of the Apothecium.

"Welcome to the war room gentlemen. And Warhound." Kyreg began. Atilius grinned a savage smile while the others chuckled. "I know that the times of the Legions have gone past but it is my belief that martial discipline must still stand. The adherence of your ranks still in this time makes me believe you all understand the importance of this as I do." He looked around to see nodding confirmations. "Good. Sergeant Daygis, I have a feeling that Asgeir will integrate the best." The Sergeant nodded. "Yes Commander. We are the Headhunter squad of the 12th. The rest of our Harrow, they are either dead or followed the Warmaster into treason so only six of us remain." Kyreg nodded. "Very good then, we shall add Asgeir to the XX strike force."

"We are Icarius, made up mostly of the former 45th Company. There are seven of us that remain. The rest of the 45th is in the company of the Lupercal now." Captain Ikanis stated as he undid his helmet to reveal a regal face with the gang tattoos of Cthonia.

"I lead Kanis, and there are nine of us. We were one of the few Terrans that still remained after our Genefather was reunited with us. The butcher's nails were never implanted into us, for we have always been ignored as Warhounds within the XII. We watched as our brothers sought the implants in order to share a commonality with our Primarch and ignored the truth; Angron never cared about anyone in his Legion." Kyreg nodded at his words, he could understand the loss of brotherhood. He had felt it when he ordered half his company to fire upon the other half to ensure that his company was not drawn into the side of the Warmaster.

The last one to speak, the Thousand Son Sergeant bowed his head again. "Commander, I lead Anpa, of the XV's Ammitara Cult. We are the assassins of the Thousand Sons." Kyreg nodded in appreciation of such a squad. "I suppose that it is my turn. We are of the 8th Shroud, the remaining loyalists that have survived the past few millennia in order to carry out the Emperors will. We do as we did when we were set apart as the Trefoil, slaying the Emperors enemies from the shadows. We are composed of a heavy assault squad as you have all seen, as well as three Seeker squads and a single Armoured Fang. An armour troop, if you will. Of course we have on board contingents of air assets and transport. This is a vanguard class strike cruiser, first produced by Mars and gifted to the 8th when the XX was first expanded and sent to the void to bring the Emperors Imperial Truth. So I ask this of you all then, how do we integrate the command." He would look around at the Astartes gathered around him in search of an answer.

"Perhaps the answer lay within our own Legions." Ikanis answered thoughtfully. Kyreg gestured for him to go on. "You outrank us all Commander, and we are onboard your ship. My suggestion is unconventional, to be frank. My rank is unimportant, there are no companies to command only squads. Give me two Warhounds. I shall give to Atilius one of my veterans, one of my apothecaries. The numbers are evened to eight per squad. Integrate with me the Anpa, or give me one of your Seekers and integrate the Anpa into your formations. Thus we will have three spears, one hidden spear, one armoured spear and one assault spear. Combine that with air support assets and I believe we will have a rather formidable battle formation." He would look over at Atilius who nodded in thought, having taken off his helmet as well to reveal a bald Astarte with leonine features and a multitude of scars. "The Wolf speaks sense, Commander." He nodded in agreement. "And we do lack an apothecary in Kanis." Kyreg nodded at the exchange. "So be it. Tarquin? Which formation do you wish to be integrated in?" The Sergeant thought about it for a moment before replying, his helmet having been off since he had boarded the ship, his tanned skin standing in contrast to the paler features of the others in the room. "I believe it is in our best interest to integrate with you Commander. That way the assault spear will have an XX formation in it as well." Kyreg smiled and nodded at the others. "Very well arrange the exchanges. Now the issue of command. Who shall command the assault spear?" Ikanis and Atilius both looked at each other. "I believe the Captain to have sufficient spirit akin to ours to command." The Warhound Sergeant answered and gave a vicious grin to the Luna Wolf Captain. "You honour me Sergeant." The Captain replied with a salute, his armoured gauntlet striking his breastplate with a loud thud. Atilius returned the salute with a smile on his face as well.

Kyreg smiled as he walked into the training hall, the sounds of blade on blade could be heard for once. The 8th did not have the numbers to make true use of the training halls, or the range. Sergeant Rythor ran his squad through the range the most, as Kyreg's duties prevented him from heading to the range too often. Centurion Maygis was standing off to the side, the newly acquired tech adept Kretis by his side as servitors unloaded boxes in front of a group of Luna Wolves and the two Warhounds that were seconded to him while in the training cages, Atilius was busy shouting encouragements at the Luna Wolf apothecary who seemed to be conducting himself quite well in the ways of the Warhounds. His opponent was the Warhound named Caedmon who seemed to be one of the top notch warriors of the Kanis. So far, they seemed to be evenly matched as the two trained with deactivated chain axes. They were both in full power armour except for helmets and none of them seemed to have landed a hit on each other yet. In some ways, Kyreg was unused to having a full demi-company on board again. He would approach the two tech adepts and listened in on their conversation with Captain Ikanis.

"Phobor pattern bolters are relics in their own right of course, but their unique calibre size means that these shells are newly produced. For now, I have produced the standard ones used by us. We call them Cainite bolt rounds, and they consist of a melta tip at the end that is meant to destroy armour. Behind it is an adamantium rod that forces a pressurized charge of mutagenic acid into the wound, the force of the impact creating a wound cavity inside the target except this time, the wound cavity is filled with the acid that destroys tissue behind it. It was made for use against power armour. Now this round is excellent for use against power armoured Astartes as well as unarmoured targets. However against tactical dreadnought armour, we use Kraken rounds. Increased charge and an adamantium solid tip, those will punch through terminator armour consistently. The Cainite bolt rounds were made to be used by sniper rifles as well as stalker bolters, a slight hiss the only sound of the melta discharge. It is a stealth operation armour piercing round. However, I understand this may not necessarily be perfectly suited to your needs so I took the liberty to have the same ammunition press produce Kraken rounds as well. The Autocannon rounds for Kanis have also been modified. As the autocannon lacks the full hitting firepower of a stormbolter or an assault cannon, the solid slug shells have been modified. It is the same type of ammunition that we use; they contain a solid tungsten tip with a massive explosive charge built in. of course this makes the round heavier so to compensate, inertial dampeners must be installed onto the autocannons to compensate for the much higher rate of recoil involved. We have found these rounds effective against power armour, unarmoured targets as well as light vehicles." The Luna Wolf Captain was nodding as he examined the ammunition.

"I hope the Centurion is not boring you too much, Ikanis." Kyreg proffered as the Captain looked up with a wolfish grin. "The Centurion is telling me that you possess the capacity of ammunition production as well as the ability to modify ammunition to be more lethal. I assure you Commander, I am anything but bored." The Commander chuckled and gestured for the Centurion to go on, the tech marine having a rather annoyed look on his face the same as when he has been interrupted.

"Volkite batteries, we possess plenty of. The recharge process is straight forward as well. Unfortunately they must be recharged on board the ship itself as we do not possess any field chargers. Grenades, we make use of blind, krak and frag grenades as well as those that I'm afraid are not suited to be used by non-Alpha legionnaires. For that I apologize but it is simply the Legions way." Ikanis didn't look offended at all at the mention of weapons that would not be given to him. He understand quite clearly that each legion had their own traditions. "Now then, heavy bolter rounds we have many of but we rarely use them ourselves. The ones that we do use are mostly Kraken rounds or regular bolter rounds. You see it is our belief that if a heavy bolter must be used in war, then let it must be used in a manner to be able to kill any infantry that would dare wander into our path. We do not use specialist rounds for the heavy bolter because of that. However you will notice that I have placed many drum magazines to be made available to your forces. That is because when fire power is required, we will equip ourselves with drum magazines where the long bursts will not empty our magazines so quickly. Of course the shells are smaller but you are able to sustain a much higher rate of fire. And in emergencies, sickle magazines can still be used. You may wish to consider the tactical implications of this method."

Kyreg would chuckle and waved his leave towards them, he could see that Sergeant Fratis was talking to the other legionnaires and the Alpha legion's newest recruits could be seen intermingling with the veterans, discussing tactics and weapons use as well as learning from the Crusade veterans. Walking over towards the drill cages, he could see that Aygres the apothecary was shaking hands with his opponent, having been judged killed after a strike pushed him back to the cages and the Warhound veteran facing him simply charged them axe first. "Looks like you're already trying to break your new apothecary." He commented as Atilius would clasp his forearm in a warriors greeting. "Ah Commander, it is a fine time for you to visit us. We are much more disciplined than the World Eaters of Angron ever were. However, assault has still always been in our blood as Warhounds. As the Emperor willed it in the creation of our Geneseeds, he perhaps deemed us worthy to give us more blood thirst in our blade arms." The Warhound was unapologetic yet he had a much more regal bearing than the World Eaters that Kyreg had met. "Well as long as you don't break him in your practice cages. I'm not sure Ikanis would be so willing to give up his other apothecary if he knew that you simply needed firewood." He replied rather drily, watching as Aygres nodded while Caedmon was demonstrating to him the finer points of a full frontal assault by chain axe. "I am surprised though Commander. You seem to walk around in a state of confusion it seems. I would wager that you do not know why you are here." The Warhound grinned as Kyreg looked at him with mild surprise on his face. "Do not think my brothers and me unobservant even if we are of the XII."

"You are correct. I am unused to an entire demi-company. I counted our numbers earlier, and we number forty four Astartes in fighting formations, with another sixteen in support formations, and of course another eight in the armoured formation. We are a full demi-company of Astartes. More than I had hoped. Of course we also have initiates on board, and geneseeds to be implanted with geneseeds from all of the Legions present except for the Thousand Sons. In a year, we may have a full fighting company on board the ship for once. Do not mistake this for any negative feelings I have, but I have not commanded a full company since.." "Since the Heresy." The Warhound Sergeant finished for him. Kyreg nodded and smiled slightly. "I am simply unused to this even though I know that together we will reap great glories in the Emperors name." Sergeant Atilius grunted in approval. "An entire company of Astartes. Do you remember the glories we earned in the crucible of battle during the Crusade when entire companies of us went to battle?" With a grin, Kyreg nodded. "I still remember the majesty of when entire companies deployed alongside the Emperor in battle, forcing compliance across the many worlds that were ruled over by xenos, or by tyrants who would not surrender to the Imperial Truth." The Warhound chuckled deeply and saluted him with his fist slammed against his breastplate before turning to push two more of his Warhounds into the training cage.

Kyreg found himself wandering deeper into the ship where he seldom travelled; the domains of Sergeant Yingr. He made his way deeper into the bowels of the ship, walking past serfs who bowed to him as well as Gamma 6-7 soldiers who saluted him as they stood watch in various strategic sectors. Finally, he would walk through a large set of double doors made up of plasteel with names carved onto it. Successful initiates earned the right to etch their names onto the door when they came back as full Astartes. As he entered through the doors, he could see Sergeant Yingr standing there with Nahun beside him, both fully armoured and carrying a large steel shock prod. In front of him were over seventy initiates that remained, divided into teams of five and armed with wooden sticks. They wore only grey robes and they were arrayed against each other in fights. Each team held a single token, and it provided for a single warm meal. He remembered this test well; those who did not possess tokens at the end were subjected to the cold protein gruel while those who possessed tokens were given a hot meal of real food. He remembered the meals as mountains of seared fish, or grox meat with large quantities of starch to go with them. Of course he also remembered the mucus like protein gruel that he consumed for most of the sessions. So far, the Initiates seemed to be doing well; they were ignoring territories and instead constantly on the attack. Some initiates chose to bundle together and assault as one. Others spread themselves out and would sacrifice a few just to strike with surprise from the rear. Sergeant Yingr saw him and nodded a greeting before calling the Initiates to order. The Initiates quickly stood to attention in their groups of five as the Sergeant would approach the Commander and bowed, Nahun behind him bowing as well.

"How is this batch doing?" The Commander asked quietly as he examined the young boys standing together. The Sergeant thought about it for a few moments. "There is a dozen that I am unsure about. But the rest of them, I have high faith in them. The time for implants shall come soon I believe. The dozen I am unsure of, I must test them further." The Commander thought about his answer for a moment. "I trust your judgement Sergeant. We cannot blindly implant as we did during the Crusade, each must be of strong morals and judgement before they can be given the priceless geneseeds." The Sergeant nodded in agreement. "Of course Commander. The process has been refined thankfully, and I have the highest faith in the ones that make it to implant." With a slight tilt of his head, Kyreg would gesture towards Nahun. "How about your apprentice? What do you make of him so far?" The Sergeant smiled underneath his helmet as he replied. "He is quite capable. Still inexperienced of course but he is learning fast. I have high hopes that one day, my role can be duplicated by him to speed up our training process for new initiates but also to increase our intelligence scans." Kyreg nodded before bidding them both farewell. As soon as he had turned, he could hear the Sergeant ordering the Initiates to step forward and account for their tokens. There were triumphant cheers and muted disappointments of course, and it brought cheerful memories to him as he remembered his time as a new Initiate on Terra where the drillmasters had been far crueller yet emphasized the bonds of brotherhood with every lesson taught.

The bridge was abuzz with activity as the tracker had begun moving faster, moving indeed faster towards the Spinward Front. Specifically, the heading seems to align with a warp travel plotting towards a planet known as Orbiana. The planet was registered as a Feral world, with no real significant value except for perhaps resources underneath the planets core and the people on the planet. Kyreg looked at the plotting and nodded, giving the order to the bridge staff. "Follow them there. Maintain stealth shielding, the Emperor expects."

The former Inquisitional vessel had flown right past the inactive orbital defence platform and put itself into orbit where multiple flights of Thunderhawks had flown down to the planet itself. Down on the planet, the only real forces present were those of the Severan Dominate, whose red armoured human soldiers maintained a small presence on the planet. Of course the Thunderhawks would avoid the strong holds and flew into an uncivilised region in the heavy mountains regions that stuck up beyond the thick jungles underneath, it's only occupants the uncivilized tribesmen who sought shelter from the screaming steel birds that flew into the sky itself.

 _Two months later_

The Kilo Zeta broke out of warp transit in full stealth cloaking and floated towards the planet. In that time, the Legionnaires on board had been greatly prepared for the possibility of a war. Not just any war, but a war of vengeance. Kyreg stood on board the bridge of his flagship and looked through the viewports of the strike cruiser, his left hand tapping the armoured edges of his power suit with impatience. Beside him stood Captain Ikanis who smiled as their journey had finally brought him to where their target is. The order given was simple.

"Load bombardment cannon. Target the Inquisition vessel." Centurion Maygis ordered as he stood at the control dais in the center of the bridge. "All weapons battery, power up. Full torpedo spread, plasma and las cannons to be powered up."

"Plasma and las cannon powered up. Torpedoes loaded and primed, firing solution plotting. Bombardment cannon, shell is being loaded." A serf spoke up from his control console. "Target is drifting, minimum power detected on board." A scan few moments later, the firing solution confirmation was given. "Fire solutions plotted. Bombardment cannon loaded. Orders my Lord?"

"Fire all weapons. Destroy that vessel." Maygis gave the order. In a few seconds, blasts of plasma the size of small buildings were launched at the vessel, while over twenty four torpedoes were fired in support. Then the bombardment cannon fired. A massive shell was flung towards the strike cruiser.

"Impact, five minutes." A serf announced. Kyreg watched as the munitions deployed hit the Inquisitional cruiser, the vessel becoming engulfed in a ball of flames as multiple systems were destroyed and erupted in a cascade of explosions. The vessel broke apart into multiple pieces before another spread was ordered fired by the tech marine. The torpedoes were fired in scant moments, the spread of warheads flying out into the debris field and detonating against the many pieces of debris and scattering them, making a massive hole in the debris field for the Kilo Zeta to move through with minimal shield hits. Nodding in satisfaction, Kyreg turned and began to make for the loading bays. He was followed by Ikanis who was voxing his assault spear into action as well. When they had made their way to the loading bay, Stormbirds were already waiting, with their engines warmed up. Beside them stood the newly furnished Legionnaires of Kyreg's small force as well as Kyreg's 8th. Along with the 8th stood Anpa, their armour having now also been fitted with the holographic active camouflage systems that the 8th wore as standard. Alongside them stood Coyote Squadron, one hundred and fifty of the human troops that had been recruited from Tyven V now split into five platoons. They now stood in dark coyote brown uniforms with splotches of tan and green camouflage in fractal stripes in carapace armour and full faced helmets with advanced targeters over their eyes. In their arms were clasped bullpup hotshot las guns or hotshot volleyguns, along with hellpistols strapped to their thighs. Grenades were clustered around in belts around them, and they stood with the ease of veterans now. The training process had been brutal but they had produced elite drop troops ready now to die for their Astarte masters.

Behind each platoon from Coyote Squadron stood a G 6-7 Special Mission Unit, each equipped with the equipment that had served them for decades. Kyreg nodded as he gave the order. "Holding pattern only. Gungnir, Xythos and Anpa will conduct reconnaissance of the targets set out." The bridge had traced multiple heat gatherings, and the largest one was the one they were going to recce. They had so few information on Mikhail, except that he was a psyker of some power. This time he was trapped on the planet and the contingency plan had already been set. Cyclonic torpedoes would be launched from the ship and the planet would be razed of life, doomed to be re-made into a dead planet after its atmosphere had been burnt to nothingness. Kyreg gripped his combi-stalker bolter and entered one of the Stormeagles there waiting him followed by Gungnir and Anpa. The Thousand Son Sergeant looked over at the Commander and gave a thumb up followed by Sergeant Rythor. The order was given to take off, and the Stormeagle was quickly launched out of the launch bay and ejected into the void where it quickly shielded and began to glide down towards the planet. Vox orders could be heard from on board the Kilo Zeta as the assault spear as well as Coyote Squadron quickly mounted on board their transports and were launched into the void as well, their vehicles powered down as they began to drift down towards the planet. The Human Coyote and G 6-7 troops were given dosages of sleep medication that would put their body into a state similar to the sus au membrane sleep adapted by the Astartes, auto-injectors loaded with stimulants stood ready to go by a single order to awaken them into battle readiness. Underneath his helmet, Kyreg grinned. It felt good to go to war with numbers again.


	19. Chapter 19

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 19_**

 _Go on, another slice and it'll be complete._ The voice whispered in his head again as Mikhail grinned and looked at the body in front of him. Behind him stood former Inquisitional Stormtroopers, all wearing vile sigils that hurt the eyes carved into their skins and their carapace armour. Their armour itself was warped, far from the crisp clean issued carapace armour from the Schola Progenium, holding now symbols of dread and the eight pointed star of Chaos. Around them stood the shamans of the Feral Tribes that led the fur clad humans in the world who waved massive ceremonial poles clad with human and animal skulls. The body was split wide open in front of him, a former Champion of the tribe who fell to Mikhail's wych talents and now as was the law of the tribe, the former warrior was to be sacrificed to the Great Star God. Mikhail understood the meaning to be of the God Emperor, although the patronages he sacrificed to now were mortal enemies of the Carrion Throne. With one more slice, he was able to carve the eight pointed star inside the tissues of the corpses heart and grinned before a foul red light surrounded them and would wash out all the way around the small forest clearing. The chaos shock troops behind him seemed to roar their devotion out to the dark gods as the light engulfed them while all around them; the tribesmen started falling one by one as their innards were dissolved and their souls ripped out in sacrifice. Even the shamans could only take a few steps before their eyeballs were dissolved as their wych souls were ripped out and cast into the warp to feed the dark hunger of the pantheon. As the light faded away, what remained of the tribesmen were twisted warped abominations. With elongated fangs, and claws as well as limbs that were definitely not human, the mutants rose one by one and howled as their skulls took on wolf like features. The howls would soar high into the skies as Mikhail grinned and ripped out the heart and began to feast on it, biting into the still hot flesh and swallowing in great gulps.

With a gesture, he would point towards another village that they had travelled past and with a psychic command, the mutants began to advance towards it. The Stormtroopers behind him would follow Mikhail as the cultist began to walk through the forest as well towards the village. As the mutant horde approached the village gates, many had been outside of their huts looking to see where the source of the red light had come from, many clutching talismans to ward away the evil spirits that had been rumoured to haunt the forests. With blood thirsty bays to the sky, the mutants would charge through the village, slaughtering and feasting on all that they took. They would fill the air with the screams of their slaughter as men, women and children were ripped apart, chewed on and bit into. While the mutants carried on their wanton slaughter, Mikhail led the Stormtroopers to around the village where desecrated unguents and oils were carefully mixed with blood and symbols were drawn onto the center of the village. Arcane symbols of a language too maddening to truly be understood by humans, they painted the grounds until the mutants would drag prisoners towards them, those captured and spared for some particular reason. The village shaman, as well as some of the village's warriors were grasped by the unholy strengths of the mutants who awaited a signal as they stood over the symbols drawn moments ago. At a signal, the mutants would execute their captives by stabbing their claws underneath the ribcages and ripping out the hearts with relish. Over one hundred hearts were held up into the sky as then symbols themselves began to glow and leak blood onto the village. At this instance, the portals opened around them, rings of red hellfire as the dark portals within them were lit with an unholy purple warp light, the screams of the warp itself could be heard as the first dark crimson armoured giant stepped out of the portal and held up his staff with a triumphant roar to the stars above. Mikhail as well as the Stormtroopers all knelt to him while the mutants bayed and whimpered in fear, getting on the ground on all fours like beasts who had just been reminded of their place by their Alpha.

Behind him marched a dozen of his hand chosen servants, dark crimson armour with high gorge armour around their necks wielding axe rakes and ornate bolters while scriptures of Lorgar were tacked onto their armour. Then screeching from another portal on jetpacks borne of unholy flames trailing behind them in a mixture of bright green and dirty smoke landed figures with revving chainswords and bird of prey like helmets who screeched their fury across the forest itself. The last portal revealed a very neat and orderly formation of crimson armoured Astartes who carried their weapons across their chest and marched through the portal. The Chaos Lord chuckled, a deep rich baritone sound as he looked around the village surrounded by blood and sacrifice. "You have done well my child. Now rise and receive your reward." Mikhail could only shiver in anticipation and stood up, not daring to look the chaos lord in the eyes while Lord Etanes the Ashfanged grinned underneath the daemonic visage of his helmet and raised his cursed Crozius into the sky and chanted words of power. Words of undiluted warpcraft that sent a searing light through Mikhail's body, the former Interrogator screaming out in the purest of pain as his body was remolded, his puny human limbs disappearing and his head splitting apart as his features changed. Horns grew from his head and claws appeared as his skin broke around him to reveal scales in various sections. He would shiver as he looked at his new body and bowed deeply to the Chaos Lord for his gifts.

With another series of words, Etanes cut a hole into the warp itself and chanted his unholy words where soon, he would reach in and pull out a shadowed figure. As the figure was tossed onto the ground, it grew to over eight feet tall, power armour appearing around him as he finally fell onto the ground before getting up and dusting himself. "You know Etanes, your summons could do with some refinement." Viprus stated as he dusted off his white power armour and grinned cockily at the Chaos Lord. At such disrespect, one of his bodyguards kicked the reborn Astarte down onto the ground with a growl. Viprus held a hand up and got back up again before sighing softly.

"You would not be here Blood Angel, if it were not for the wishes of the Gods for you to finish your original task. Your failure is what resulted in this. If you fail again, your soul will be eternally tormented in the warp." The Chaos Lord hissed before walking away, followed by his Octaivan bodyguards. Viprus sighed to himself and wondered longingly what had happened to the lovely Dark Eldar slave he had. It was too bad, she was probably dead. What a waste.

Lord Etanes stopped in front of the mutants and smiled. The boy was probably one of the better agents he had employed over the years, infiltrating the Inquisition itself. "Go forth, bring me more of you. More prisoners, do not feed too much or you will feel my wrath. Understood?" The Mutants bowed in acknowledgement before running off into the forests, their despicable forms quickly being hidden in the shadows of the thick foliage. Mikhail knelt to his Lord in supplication. "What shall you have me do, Lord."

"Go forth and the lead the Mutants. Ensure that we have fresh specimens and prisoners, we will have much use for them. Do not disappoint me, for I will peel every inch of skin from you as you hang and delicately pull out every vein inside your body so that you may see the pumps of your own heart before you are cast into the warp." Mikhail bowed deeply before quickly joining the Mutants in their rampage through the forest towards the small sounds of life spread throughout the forest.

The small base held only just over a hundred soldiers as well as support staff, the red armoured Severan Dominate soldiers on guard duty yawning as they once again stood watch in the small insignificant base that held the central road to the middle of nowhere. Another larger military base where supplies were shuttled in once a week that was the only reason for the base. He was just glad that he was not facing the Guard on various battlefields across the Domain, their freedom as hard won. The las rifle resting on the sandbag beside him as he sat on another sandbag was newly minted from the forges. The last time he had fired it was when he had been drafted into the defence forces. The only other humans here were feral tribesmen and they left each other. The tribesmen hunted and gathered for sustenance while they ate ration packs and smoked lho sticks, and the occasional curious hunter would move close towards the base and take a look before wandering off again. It was a simple task and he was just glad that he could be in his rack soon, in another hour where he can sleep for a bit and enjoy some leisure time. Perhaps a card game with his squad again? The thought was disturbed by a loud cracking of fallen tree branches. He quickly frowned and picked up the binos to look towards the forest, looking around for the source of the sound before a loud scream would erupt from one of the sentries posted a few dozen feet away. He looked up and over just to see the soldier impaled on a set of monstrous claws belonging to a horned humanoid figure who would rip the soldiers heart out and held it up high and roaring in a language he didn't understand. But he understood the meaning as soon as they came out of the forest.

Almost seven feet tall with wolf like features, the mutant beasts roared into the base howling and baying for blood. He quickly picked up his las rifle and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Glancing down, he saw that the safety was still on and quickly flicked it off before firing at the horde of mutants that came out of the jungle. Some of them were dropped as more las beams joined the fight, the thin bright red beams lancing into the darkness of the forest as they blew out bones and evaporated organs with impunity. However the numbers would tell soon. As the las rifle clicked on empty, he quickly reached down to change magazines only to feel a warm wetness on his uniform blouse. He looked down to see a pair of claws impaled in his chest, looking beside him to see the wolf like visage of the mutant who roared and ripped his heart out. As he fell, he could see around him the mutants dragging many off into the night itself as more and more mutants hurled themselves into the camp. He thought he could hear heavy bolter fire in the back ground but that sound was quickly silenced even before he hit the ground. With a cough, he vomited out more bloody matter and could hear the world around him no more.

Looking around at the Severan Dominate Camp, Mikhail revelled in his new gifts from the Pantheon and grinned savagery. With a roar, he watched as the mutants hurry to obey him, each of the mutants grabbing prisoners and dragging them in. Some of the humans were clubbed across their heads to knock them out, while others were dragged kicking and screaming over to a small structure where they were thrown inside without las rifles or anything else. The small warehouse was guarded by a pack of mutants who held in their hands chainswords taken from the camps supply dump. Mikhail closed his eyes and sent a psyker message to his master, letting him know that there are prisoners here.

The Stormeagle touched down gently, almost landing on the ground but a few inches of space separated earth and the gunship. Dismounting quickly, the flurry of dusk blue armoured Marines and the single squad of dark red moved into the forest carefully, their cameoline cloaks waving slightly around them as the Stormbird quickly activated its cloaking mechanism again and began to fly back up to stratosphere levels. The four squads each covered off a sector for a second as their active camouflage settled in and blended them into their surroundings. Consulting the auspex in his helmet, Kyreg quickly mapped out and marked the largest landing point that had been detected from orbit. The Thunderhawk which had flown down from the now destroyed Inquisitorial ship still had its power on, and that was what caught the attention of the strike cruiser in orbit. If they could secure it, it might be able to be used. If it has not been corrupted, that is. If it has been, then it would be blown in place. As valuable as another Thunderhawk would be, bringing corruption onboard the Kilo Zeta was simply not acceptable. Rythor, Daygis and Tarquin all voxed confirmations as the strike force spread out and began to advance through the forests with their weapons readied.

Captain Ikanis looked over the overall map. He had spoken to Atilius earlier and confirmed the assault pattern they would be using. Thankfully, both the XVI and the XII both used aggressive assault tactics. It just meant however, that the style of the XVI complimented the assault tactics of the XII. The strike cruisers passive auger was still on, and scanning the planet. The position of the stealth spear units were marked on the map, as well as the position of the assault spear. Of concern were the large gatherings that numbered near the positions marked as military installations of the Severan Dominate. The Lunar Wolf Captain curled his lips in disgust at the humans that made up the Severan Dominate. For those to turn away from the light of the Emperor and try and set up their own domain, it was an insult. It was an insult to every drop of blood shed by his brothers during the Great Crusade only to find the mortals rebelling. Of course while they were just mortals, it did not make their lascannons or heavy bolters any less deadly. The las rifles used by mortal soldiers were laughable in their stopping power. Heavy weapons were a different story all together. He quickly made some adjustments to their point of advances; he had a feeling that the assault spear would be needed soon.

Atilius looked over at him and placed his armoured fist over a breastplate, Ikanis returning the gesture. The Warhound Sergeant was a veteran of many forlorn hopes, something which Ikanis appreciated, the skills of veteran Sergeants were what held squads together during battles after all.

Kyreg saw the vessel first. It was parked in a grassy field with its engines turned off, its wings folded and the ramp lowered. He held up a hand and voxed Sergeant Tarquin. "Clear the vessel, I need you to check it for corruption." The Sergeant blipped back a response and led his Anpa stealth squad forward. He exchanged the ornate volkite charger he held for a stalker bolt pistol loaded with stalker rounds and gave a quick gesture to his squad. The XV legionnaires did the same, their weapons too powerful to be fired inside the Thunderhawk for fear of damaging priceless relics. He looked into the Thunderhawk and saw only three Servitors and a single pilot who was lounging on the benches smoking a lho stick. With a series of hand signals including a single finger across the throat, he advanced into the cargo bay.

The pilot looked up and dropped his lho stick as he saw the Achean pattern power armour of the Thousand Sons and was about to yell out in surprise when Tarquin grabbed the mortal by his face, his armoured hand covering his mouth and quickly smacked the man's head with the butt of the bolter pistol grip, knocking him out. The Servitors sat there unmoving and emotionless. "The vessel is clear Commander. I would appreciate if you pulled your forces forward and covered the Thunderhawk while Anpa communes and senses potential corruption." Kyreg acknowledged the message and gave the orders briskly. Gungnir and Xythos moved quickly to the front of the Inquisitional gunship, quickly moving down to one knee in the bushes providing them with cover as their active camouflage quickly blended with the branches and leaves. Daygis pushed Asgeir forward as well, their larger numbers allowing them to form a "U" behind the Thunderhawk, their active camouflage melding them in with a slight shimmer around the gunship.

Tarquin gave the order and all five legionnaires unhelmed themselves, locking their helmets onto their armour before closing their eyes and summoning the powers of the warp. They focused their powers onto Tarquin who took the offered energy and focused it into a beam of warplight, the light traversing over the ship slowly before he would open his eyes and look around, his vision tinted purple by the din of the warplight flowing through his body. The other four still stood in the circle with their eyes closed and their heads bowed as Tarquin looked over the entire gunship slowly, and carefully. It seemed the machine spirit was sturdy, trace amounts of corruption could be seen being destroyed and cleansed by the machine spirit on board, even the rare metals used in the circuitry of the ship blessed and inlaid with daemon resistance silver. Tarquin brushed his mind over the machine spirit who responded to him and acknowledged his devotion and loyalty to the Emperor and settled in as it began to cleanse the rest of the corrupting energy that sought to take over the Thunderhawk. Tarquin responded by focusing his energy into the circuit board, molding the energy into a pure white light and using it to burn away the traces of the corruption, the machine spirit acknowledging his efforts with a few soothed blips. However, it did not seem to want the servitors there anymore. Nodding with acknowledgement, Tarquin used the pure wych light and scorched the servitors into ash eliciting a soft blip of thanks from the machine spirit. Understanding its intentions, he would quickly meld his mind with the machine spirit, sending its pain at having to transport something warp tainted in its cargo hold.

"Commander, the Thunderhawk is clean. The machine spirit inside resisted any corruption and I have helped it cleanse itself. However, a tech marine still needs to look over this in order to conduct any repairs." The machine spirit blipped a few times at his words, their melds still having trace tendrils attached.

"Acknowledged Tarquin, attach signal beacon coded to Kilo Zeta frequencies and we will move on." Tarquin acknowledged the order with a blip of the vox before reaching out to lightly touch the Thunderhawk before exiting with his squad. Once they exited, the active camouflage around them would activate again as the stealth spear quickly moved to new positions and the force would move deeper into the forest.

 _One week later_

Kyreg stopped at the edge of the clearing, he could sense multiple contacts beyond the village that stood in front of him, the feral humans there gathering spears and other rudimentary weapons as their Shaman prepared them for war. Beyond the village of less than one thousand humans, his auspex could detect a few hundred other signatures, non-human ones. He pondered it for a moment before coming up with a plan. With a simple order, Gungnir and Xythos began to circle the village towards the contacts, moving slowly and silently with the well-practiced movements of veteran XX Legionnaires. Brushing aside a small branch silently and then gently letting it fold back into place without a sound after him, Kyreg could see that in the forestry covering the village were humanoid creatures. Wolf like in features with claws, some carrying chainswords and some carrying crudely fashioned axes and they seemed to wait for some order. Kyreg quickly sent a command to Asgeir and Anpa; drum magazines were going to be needed. The marksmen in Gungnir and Xythos both locked their sniper rifles in place and drew bolter pistols, drum magazines being loaded in with quiet clicks. Each drum magazine was loaded with sixty rounds of Cainite rounds, more than enough to deal with some mutants. Asgeir and Anpa both moved silently into the village, their active camouflage hiding themselves from the eyes of the feral humans while Xythos and Gungnir circled around to the flanks, weapons held at the ready.

There was an unseen command given and as one, the mutants howled for blood and charged through the jungles towards the feral humans who were gathering in thin spear lines, gritting their teeth and holding their spears towards the charging mutants while their Shamans yelled out words of encouragement in the bastardized low gothic that could barely be understood.

"Bind them in place brothers." Kyreg ordered. In five simple words, Asgeir and Anpa revealed themselves with bolters firing steadily into the mutant horde. Brass casings scattered across the dirt as the feral humans gaped at their rescuers. The Shamans themselves paused for a moment and yelled out. "Angels! The Sky gods Angels!"

The Cainite rounds hit flesh, melta charges spraying forward through skin and bone while mutagenic acid sprayed through bodies, eating and dissolving vital organs as well as flesh and bone. The Asgeir Legionnaires fired their twin-linked combi-bolters into the charging mass, while Anpa quickly stepping into line to cover those who were reloading so the rate of fire never went down. Red beams of volkite would cut through the ranks, turning chunks of torso as well as limbs and heads into ash. Kyreg then gave the order to fire as well, Xythos and Gungnir firing into the exposed flanks and rear of the mutants. Kyreg cut down half a dozen of the charging mutants, firing his comb-stalker bolter into their rear as the Cainite rounds melted flesh and bones. Rythor led his squad forward as he fired in precise aimed single shots.

Tarquin raised his hand and with a thought turned the entire front lines of the charging mutants into ash with purple warp fire, the sky being filled with drifts of cindering ash. Daygis gave the order, bolters were exchanged for bolt pistols and power daggers as the mutant horde got closer. Tarquin stepped forward with Anpa squad who emptied their magazines in long automatic bursts through their charging foe before stepping back as Daygis gave the order to charge. With bursts of ozone, power daggers were activated by the dusk blue giants and the battle line charged.

"They've engaged. One last peel and blades." Kyreg ordered. The Legionnaires under his command exchanged spent magazines for fresh ones, and sprayed their fury through the exploding wall of mutated flesh, muscle tissues and bones exploding under the impact of the high powered bolt shells.

"For the Emperor!" Kyreg roared as he drew his phase blade and charged, Gungnir drawing their power axes and charging into the fray. As a mutant raised a chainsword towards him, the Commander kicked him in the chest, crushing his ribs before cutting its head off with a swing of his blade while Gungnir fought with a much more brutal style. A ceramite wall rammed into the mutant hordes flank, shattering their momentum as Rythor lead his squad in a swirling wall of crackling power axes, cutting through flesh and bone with ease as they left behind them broken bodies and lifeless limbs swathed with ichor and guts. Xythos Legionnaires all drew their power swords at Kyreg's signal, Thobor sending a stream of warp lightning through an entire rank of mutants before he surged forward and with one swing of his power blade, he bisected three mutants while Ulyr grabbed a mutant by the throat and lifted him up and threw him into a whirring chainsword before a quick stab forward gutted the chainsword wielding mutant, his arm swishing upwards and slicing his chest and guts open. Mytis swung his blade to parry a chainsword aimed for his head while his armoured gauntlet crushed the skull of a mutant that he grabbed before tossing the corpse aside and skewering the mutant with the chainsword sideways, slicing open his ribs and kicking it to the ground before a ceramite boot crushed the creatures skull, grey brain matter and blood forced onto the dirt.

"We are the Legios Astartes and we will not stand for such affronts to the Emperor of Man!" Tarquin screamed as his squad sent blazing warp flames through the ranks of the mutants, fat sizzling as flesh was seared and organs boiled, more of the mutants falling onto the ground while Daygis and his squad scythed through the mutant ranks with power daggers sizzling as mutant blood gushed forward, the razor sharp blades slicing arteries and jugular apart. While new to the 8th, Asgeir squad were still veteran Headhunters in every way. Daygis smashed his helmet into the elongated wolf like face of a mutant even as he clubbed another mutant with a spear with his bolt pistol, his right arm slamming the power dagger through the first mutant's chest before spinning around to impale the blade right into the throat of another. Slaine, the Asgeir marksman blasted a chainsword bearing mutant with a single round to the head, the mutant's skull disappearing as the melta tip from the Cainite round erupted and melted its skull with ease while the acid dissolved the grey matter there. With a flourish, the marksman sliced the spear head from a mutant who bared its teeth at him before he kicked the creature in its knees, bones cracking and splintering while the creature roared in pain, the marksman crushing its skull in with a swing of his bolter pistol.

The aftermath of the battle saw corpses piled up in one large group by the villagers while the village Shaman ordered the bodies burnt. The feral tribesmen looked at the angels of the Emperor who had saved them in their time of need, and they kneeled. Kyreg walked forward towards the village Shaman who went on one knee and bowed his head. "Jaci Tribe gives welcome Angel." The Shaman said with a bowed head. "Rise up feral son. You have fought well." The Shaman looked up at the Commander, his eyes squinting as he looked upon the dusk blue armoured figure that stood in front of him. "Jaci fought well, Jaci died well." He responded in a distinct pronunciation of low gothic, marking his ancestors as perhaps ones who had been enlightened to the Emperor through the Great Crusade. "Jaci sacrifice sons for Sky God." Kyreg nodded. "Jaci is loyal to the Sky God." He stated, while the Shaman nodded furiously. "Jaci loyal to Sky God, Jaci die for Sky God." Kyreg nodded and then after a moment looked at the Shaman. "What are you called." The Shaman thought about the question for a moment. "I Quidel, Jaci Shaman." The Astartes Commander nodded. "Quidel. I have a task for you, a task important to the Sky God." The Shaman bowed his head, as did his warriors. "If Sky God wish, Jaci stand in flame." Kyreg smiled underneath his helmet. He appreciated such devotion to the Emperor. He would reach onto his armour and pull off a small symbol, a small golden Aquila and handed it to Quidel.

The Shaman bowed his head as he took the item reverently and nodded. "Quidel will do for Sky God. If Quidel die, Quidel die for Sky God." Kyreg bowed to the man, admiring the mortals bravery. "Angel, Jaci scared. Jaci scared of witches in forest, that way." Kyreg raised an eyebrow and gestured for the man to continue. "One hour march lives witches in hut. Witches not pleasant to Jaci, Jaci fear them." Kyreg nodded. "I will take care of them Shaman Quidel. Go forth now and do the Emperors duty." The Shaman bowed deeply as he would walk away and lead his warriors, holding up the Aquila to shine in the sun light. The golden glint on the Aquila caused his warriors to kneel, and give their blood oaths to fulfil the duty entrusted to them by one of the Emperors angels.

"Witch? Do you think they mean Chaos, Commander?" The Thousand Son Sergeant would ask before Kyreg shrugged. "We have to investigate it regardless, we must see what is there. They are a brave people, worthy of the Emperors light. Therefore we must walk in His shadow and hunt down those who would dare to cover up the Emperors golden rule." The Astartes around him nodded and Kyreg would gesture for squad leaders to reform their squads and advance with him.

Xythos lead the advance, Kyreg pushing his legionnaires forward into the forest while Gungnir covered the right flank while Anpa covered the left flank. Behind them advanced Asgeir, drum magazines loaded into their twin-linked bolters while cameoline cloaks rustled slightly as the armoured giants stalked through the forest towards where the Jaci tribe Shaman had pointed out the structure. Half an hour later, they had arrived, a large clearing where a single structure stood, framed by open ground. There outside of the house could be seen another small hut. Outside of the hut was laundry drying on lines. Kyreg was about to order his strike force forward when Thobor beside him suddenly held his head and almost collapsed, while the Thousand Sons were frozen seemingly in pain, almost unable to move. He quickly ordered Asgeir forward, the dusk blue legionnaires moving to cover the flank left open by the sudden incapacitation of the Astartes. Thobor gasped for air underneath his helmet, barely able to move while the door to the hut opened. Four women walked out. The women were dressed simply, in white robes but they walked with confidence. In their hands were held long curved thin blades and they stood outside motionless, without expressions on their face as Kyreg looked back at them, having stood up when they exited and walked forward alone. The Legionnaires behind him raised their bolters but Kyreg put up a hand, a gesture for them to lower their weapons. He was stunned at what was here, the four women that had been here and called witches. He could feel an inkling of who they were, but the truth is one that could change the entire fight on the planet.

He would clamp his weapon by his side and walked forward to stand a few feet away from the four women who stared at him, the blades held in their hands not wavering even a millimetre. Kyreg drew his blade, the phase sword glinting in the sunlight before he plunged it blade first into the ground in front of him, and went down on one knee.


	20. Chapter 20

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 20_**

The women looked at the Legios Astartes Commander and impaled their blades into the dirt blade first as well with the except of a single tall red haired woman with a sleekly featured face and fine red eyebrows, who walked forward and would tap the flat of her blade against the shoulder pauldron of the Commander. Behind them, the Legionnaires of the 8th looked at the Commander in wonderment. The women would have been handsome if not for their shaven heads and the single top knot that rose high above them, with tattoos on their cheeks and foreheads. They had ferocious visages, honour scars of warriors decorated their hands and forearms.

Feeling the tap of a blade on his shoulder pauldron, Kyreg stood and bowed to the woman, the woman looking at him questioningly before he brought up his hands and twisted his fingers in Thoughtmark.

 _I am honoured to meet you, Sisters._ He gestured towards their leader. Their leader, smiled in surprise and responded back in the same gestures. _You are of the XX. Yet you do not strike at us._ He shook his head and responded. _I am of the XX, loyal to the Emperor on the Golden Throne. I am loyal to him now as I was when I walked alongside him during the Great Crusade. Just as you did, Sister._ The woman smiled even broader and nodded at him before giving a gesture. They each wore a collar around their necks, decorated with expensive gems and the symbol of the Aquila in glittering titanium and each depressed a button.

The Thousand Sons unfroze and breathed out a deep breath of relief, gasping for air even through their helmets while Thobor got up slowly, shaking his head of stupor.

 _I sense the truce in your words, Alpha Legionnaire. So tell me then, why are you here? Do you seek to disturb our tranquility?_ The woman signed back, tilting her head questioningly. Kyreg nodded as he signed back. _I am afraid I have no choice. I was not aware of who you were, only that the tribesmen told me of hags, of witches in the woods that terrify them. But I see that you are no hag, no witch. You are the rarest gift to be bestowed upon the Emperor's empire._ The woman looked at him in amusement, as she turned to look back at the other women. _Who do you think we are then, Legionnaire?_ She would ask while the other women behind her curled their lips in amusement. _You are the Nullmaidens. The Sisters of Silence, scorned by the High Lords of Terra even though you once walked alongside the Emperor and accompanied him to every battlefield he walked upon._ The woman looked at him as he signed back, and nodded. _Do you call us to war then? Tell us of why we should come with you Legionnaire. We have been truly scorned, left scattered across the Emperors domain when we once stood beside him in the palace of Terra under the Himalayan mountains and accompanied him in his spread of the Imperial Truth._ Kyreg tilted his head thoughtfully for a moment. _I call you to war once again for the same reason I do. I am scorned by the Imperium for the colours I wear. I am scorned for the sins of my Genefather. Serving under my command are those of the Warhounds, the Thousand Sons, as well as Luna Wolves. All those whose genefathers have betrayed the Emperor, and all those who wear colours belonging to Legions that turned from the Emperors Light._ She made an amused face as she looked at him and tilted his head. _And yet you still fight for the Emperor. Tell me then Legionnaire. Tell me what fuels your fight._ Kyreg took off his helmet and looked at the woman in the eye as he signed to her.

 _We fight because we are not beholden to the Imperium. We fight because we are beholden to the Emperor himself. You do not need to fight for the Imperium, for we do not. We however are the loyal Legionnaires of the Emperors Legios Astartes. Even when our own Legion turn from His light, we shall continue on to reap glories for Him. The Imperium is ruled by the High Lords of Terra, who are but mortals. They look to their own greed, their own machinations in order to achieve their own goals. The Custodians stand by and guard the Emperor but they do not involve themselves in the rule of the Imperium. The Legios Astartes was created to bring the Emperors Will to the stars. Even millennia after, we will obey that order._ She nodded at his reply and conversed with her sisters in a few words before nodding at him. _We shall return, Legionnaire. My sisters and I will hold our own council._

The women would enter back into the house and Kyreg stood outside, and waited for their decision. He stood unmoving, even hours later when the sun had began to set but he remained. The door opened and the four figures walked out, ancient relic bolters in perfect working condition clamped to their power armour, the Vratine armour a dark gun metal grey while in their hands they held the curved Charnabal sabres in their hands. Full face helms covered their heads this time, except for their top knot which remained high on their helmets. Walking in a single line towards him, they stopped one foot away from the Legionnaire Commander before as one; they lowered themselves to one knee. The woman who conversed with him before bowed and held her blade up to him. He would nod and bowed before saluting them back with his armoured gauntlet on his breastplate, the salute of the Legion. The Sisters stood up and sheathed their blades as one.

 _I am Oblivion Knight Catriona. These are Sister Superiors Isibeal, Bedelia, and Liadain. We are the last of our cadre of the Lupi Titania._ Kyreg's fingers and thumbs danced in small intricate patterns as he responded. _I am Commander Kyreg, of the XX Legions 8th Harrow. I will accept your sword and call you back into service as the Emperors darkness. I ask you now, will you walk with me in the Emperors shadows, to destroy and crush those who would attempt to obstruct His Light?_ As one, they responded, bowing their heads in assent. _We shall be your hallowed edge in the Long War. We shall serve you as we once served the Emperor, until your duty is done or until death claims you. The Lupi Titania shall serve you once again Commander._

Kyreg nodded before turning around, the Sisters shouldering their bolters and walked back towards where his fellow Astartes were. Seeing all this, the other legionnaires all bowed their heads at the return of their Commander. He nodded before he looked over at the four sisters and frowned slightly before taking off his own cameoline cloak, Xythos following his lead and taking theirs off as well. He would take all four and expertly attach them onto the power armour of the Sisters, who tilted their heads at him. _We fight the war of the Shadows. You must be hidden from the enemy's sight, to strike when the application of force is at their weakest point._ Catriona nodded in assent before moving to form around him. With a gesture, the battle group reformed and began to advance towards the large gathering of forces on the map that had been detected by the Strike Cruiser, the information uploaded to his tactical display.

Etanes watched with satisfaction as his Word Bearers advanced, divine words of worship pouring from their vox grills towards the puny weak human soldiers who sought to slow them down. Etanes held his Crozius up high and roared out the words of the sacred texts as blood was spilled, his men cutting the puny mortals apart. He waded through the battle line, his Crozius swinging and crushing a human's skull while his bodyguards had their axe rakes whirring as soldiers were hooked in with the opposite end of the axe rakes, before their hearts were ripped out of their rib cages and held high for a second. Drawing the dark power sword at his waist, Etanes sliced a mortal in half, the body parts flying to the ground while the soldiers blood erupted out of his body in a cloud of crimson droplets. As another human charged him with a bayonet screaming, he kicked the soldier right in the gut, shattering ribs before the human fell onto the ground, Etanes crushing his skull in as he walked over him, paying the human no thought. Behind them, the human soldiers were trapped, as the Raptors lead by the Huntmaster screeched out their screams out of their external vox speakers, scattering the mortals even as their chainswords cut through the weak, purging the battlefield of the weak retreating cowards. Soon the battlefield was covered in blood and Etanes watched on with satisfaction, no casualties of course. At the start of the assault of the military base, the Raptors had attacked the command center, crippling the defences before the attack even began before the rest of them attacked and surged through the leaderless defensive lines, his Word Bearers cutting through the las gun armed mortals the way a tank would cut through a building made of glass.

As per his orders, as many prisoners were taken as possible, with most of them unconscious. That mattered little that would suit his purposes. Every prisoner they had captured so far would be brought forward and shoved onto the bloodstained earth as their executioners revved chainswords and chain axes. He held up a hand, his army quickly stepping aside as his sorcerer Zikarsin stepped forward. The Word Bearer sorcerer looked over at Etanes, who gave him the gesture to go ahead with a nod. Viprus stood with his blade drawn, looking over at Etanes who waved for him to go on. The Sorcerer began to chant as Viprus flew through the prisoners, killing each prisoner with a perfect single thrust to their breast, the blade impaling their hearts and cutting through them in a perfect kill. The Sorcerers chant soon borne fruit, the blood of every slain collected and convalesced into a single dug out pool in the middle, a pool dug out in the shape of the eight pointed star of the Pantheon. The blood collected bit by bit, before turning black and quickly began to be drank into the earth itself, black roots and tendrils forming in the planet itself as it began to force its corruption into the planet itself bit by bit. A large black octopus shaped creature was formed, growing bigger bit by bit. Etanes nodded and chuckled before gesturing for the Sorcerer to continue. Soon, each Word Bearer stood around the warp creature whose screams filled the air as it grew, its tentacles reaching into the planet while the remaining beast men around them howled into the air as they too could feel the change coming. Etanes smiled underneath his helmet and roared his approval as the creature took more and more solid form, the trees around it dying as it absorbed their life energy. Then, the next batch of prisoners were shoved forward to around the creature who grasped them with long black tentacles and drained them of their life force, the corpse withering to dust after a few moments.

Kyreg looked at this scene and snarled underneath his helmet. "Strike Force Zeta, strike coordinates uploaded. Expand all ordinances. Assault spear, heavy resistance expected. Taleon, the Lernaean is to deploy on my signal." After fifteen minutes, the four Stormhawks and the two Firehawks flew past, the Word Bearers looking up as hellfire missiles and vengeance missiles hit the parade ground of the military base the Word Bearers were using as a sacrifice ground, the world enveloping into flames. Multiple passes were done as auto cannon and heavy bolter rounds impacted into the target zone, shredding apart ceramite and flesh. However after the smoke clear, purple warp powered shields stood around a large amount of the Word Bearers, their leader looking up at the sky seemingly before turning around and opening up a portal where their troops began to march through.

"We cannot let them escape, in the name of the Emperor strike them down, for the honour of the Crusade and the Emperor!" The order was given quickly, and the Astartes opened up. Rounds met ceramite armour, Word Bearers falling to the ground with massive wound cavities in them while their leader glanced over at the striking Astartes and grinned before the Sorcerer beside him launched large blasts of black energy to detonate amongst them. At the last minute, the Sisters turned off the restraints around them. As the Thousand Sons and Thobor fell to the ground in pain, the warp blasts disintegrated before it could cause them any true injury. Seeing this, their leader seemed to say something before stepping through the portal with the sorcerer, the Word Bearers turning to engage them. Bolt rounds flew through the sky, Kyreg and the 8th taking cover amongst the shrubbery, pinned down by the discipline precise fire of the traitor Marines.

"Strike now, strike for the Emperor, for Terra." He yelled into his vox and a quick blip return acknowledged him on the vox. Within moments, heavy bolter fire ripped through the ranks of the attacking Word Bearers as dreadstrike missiles struck the warp beast as the Stormbird touched down behind the Word Bearer formation, pouring fire into the enemy lines before Captain Ikanis dismounted alongside Sergeant Atilius. "For Terra, strike them down!" He roared out as the Legionnaires opened fire on the Word Bearers behind them, advancing towards them in a spear formation, Ikanis leading the charge while the Warhounds roared out their anger through their vox speakers, bolters firing and detonating against the armoured forms of the Word Bearers before the ceramite spear slammed into the defending traitor marines.

Ikanis swept his blade down through the helmet and skull of a traitor who dared to sully the Emperors domain with his filthy presence. Beside him, the Warhounds revved their chainaxes and sliced through ceramite and flesh alike, the rear of the Word Bearers defensive formation no match for the combined fury of two of the most celebrated assault oriented Legions cut through their lines. Kyreg ordered a charge, the Sisters charging alongside him as they drew their Charnabal blades in fluid motions, their collars activated again as the Thousand Sons drew powered kopeshes while power axes and power swords were drawn by the rest of the stealth spear. In a single strike, the Word Bearer battle lines were severed as they shrugged off bolter hits to their power armour, Kyreg's power field deflecting bolter shots as the stealth spear surged into the Word Bearer lines. His phase sword cut through armour as if it wasn't there, slicing through enhanced organs as he disemboweled traitors and mutants alike, the Sisters beside him dancing through the enemy lines with their long curved blades flashing in the sunlight, corrupted Astarte blood soon spraying into the air as ceramite met ceramite.

Kyreg slammed his pauldron into a Word Bearer Sergeant who snarled at him and tried to raise his chainsword before a flash of the phase sword cut off the traitor's limb. The traitor scrambled for a grenade but before he could activate it, Kyreg thrusted forward and impaled the traitor between the eyes with his phase blade, slicing outwards as grey brain matter and brain fluids flew out, the Word Bearer dropping to the ground dead. Catriona sliced her blade through the chest armour of a Word Bearer before with screams of fury, she cut the marine in half, the body falling onto the ground with a soft thud and in two parts before she stabbed the blade down, impaling the marine through the eye with the point of her blade. However, the Word Bearers began to retreat and fought back as well, stalling before turning tail and running through the portals. Kyreg cursed as he looked over the battlefield. There were many casualties on both sides, although thankfully they were all injuries. Even amongst the Word Bearers, there were many limbs sliced off but very few dead traitors. The Word Bearers were not initiates either, and parried many of the furious assaults by his forces, before retreating into the portal. However the creature was growing larger and larger, and Kyreg knew it was only a matter of time before it grew to full maturity. Ordering a retreat, Kyreg led the combination of his forces further away although not before tossing a target marker next to the warp damned creature, the small tube transmitting coordinates towards anyone that could lock onto it. He would push them further and further away before relaying up to the Kilo Zeta.

"Bombard cannon, two rounds. Melta torpedoes, full spread. Position has been marked through target marker. On my mark." He yelled into the vox as he led his troops further and further away until they were at least twelve kilometers away. "Find cover." He ordered as he dove behind the gully of hills, ceramite bodies hitting stone as injured Astartes were thrown over into the ditch, and healthy ones jumped in. "Fire!"

In orbit, the bombardment cannon was prepped. A round had already been loaded from the engagement earlier so Maygis gave the order to ready another round. At the Commanders order, he ordered the cannon fired. The first shell flew down towards the planet through pinpoint coordinates, the machine spirit making miniscule corrections as the large melta round flew through the planet's atmosphere and impacted dead on; the round exploding right next to the warp creature as the military base was turned into a firestorm. The second round flew down to the planet a few minutes later, landing in the crater of the first one and detonated as it cut through and liquefied concrete and stone, turning dirt and grass into ash. It was utterly incineration as the power of both rounds ripped through the creature, its tentacles turned into warp ash by the powerful Strike Cruiser rounds. The melta torpedoes impacted moments after, hitting concrete and stone, detonating in the former Severan Dominate military base and turning the former base into one large two kilometer long crater. Nothing remained, but Kyreg knew better than to be optimistic.

"Orbital scans indicate warp storms have stopped, Commander. Target is destroyed, I believe you hit it at the right time." Maygis reported, the ships sensors picking up the anomaly at the center of the military base. "Good shooting Centurion. Give my regards to the crew." Kyreg replied before standing up and sighing for a moment. Ikanis and Atilius walked up to the Commander unhelmed, with large grins on their face. "You fight a good battle Commander." The Lunar Wolf Captain said in congratulations while Atilius simply smacked Kyreg on the shoulder pauldron and grinned. Kyreg looked at the two and smirked slightly before taking off his helmet. Even the forests around them had signs of the damage caused by the bombardment shells, splinters stuck in tree trunks and branches shorn off by the wind caused by the explosives used even this far away.

"Commander, we have detected a single life sign moving rapidly towards one of the Severan Dominate bases." Maygis informed him, the tech marine on board manipulating a dozen servitor skulls that fed information back to him of the battle which took place on the ground. "Send visual to my helmet display." Kyreg ordered as he quickly helmed himself on again. He saw Mikhail riding on a motorcycle towards the base, his warp powers disguising himself as a Severan Dominate officer even though he could not change his face. This is who they were here for in the first place. "Understood. Send us Kilo 4 for pick up." The Centurion acknowledged his command and quickly sent one of the ships in orbit down to the planet.

After a short wait, the dusk blue Stormbird flew down and quickly opened its ramps, Kyreg ordering his troops on board as he himself ran on board and strapped himself in quickly. In moments, the pilot had the gunship up, the other Astartes on board looking at him questioningly. "This is the one we are here for, someone dangerous with knowledge that cannot be set loose. We must stop him, find out why the Word Bearers were here and how are they involved. We do not have time to plan and plot so my orders are simple. We will head to the Severan Dominant military base, and we will take it with force. We will form one spear tip and storm the base, and we will stop the traitor from getting on board a vessel."

The Astartes all nodded in acknowledgement as well as the Sisters of Silence who gestured back an acknowledgement. The Stormbird flew through the air, approaching the military base. Servitor skulls fed Kyreg visuals of the escaping traitor, Mikhail having already entered through the gate. With a growl, he ordered the pilot to fire right into the gate. Heavy bolters and las cannons were targeted right at the gate as the Stormbird flew over the military base. The multiple heavy bolters on the gunship quickly engaged heavy weapon platforms while the Stormhawks and Firehawks flew strike missions with autocannons blaring away as the Legionnaires dismounted. "Shock formation, form the spear tip around me and advance." He ordered as he fired in rapid succession as he advanced forward, the targeter on his helmet ensuring kills even as he charged forward followed by his brothers. The human soldiers fought back with las rifles and heavy bolters, but any heavy bolter set ups that were detected were terminated in a flurry of bolter rounds as well as autocannon shells fired from the gunships buzzing over the base in tight attack patterns.

Las rounds glanced over his power armour and the occasional hard round would ricochet off his armour as he charged forward towards where the vehicles were stationed. Beside him, the Sisters of Silence fired in long bursts from drum magazines, their shots stitching through enemy barricades and sandbag defensive positions while the Astartes that formed the spear tip fired at any troops that got too close to defenses. In a matter of moments, the assault had carried through the base with mortal bodies lying on the ground, some in pieces as the explosive bolt rounds fired by the Sisters punched through their frail flak jackets.

A rocket flew by only to be deflected by Kyreg's power field, the rocket detonating harmlessly in the air but Kyreg turned left and fired a quick double tap, the two rounds destroying the mortal that had fired it as well as the loader beside him. "We're almost there, almost there." Roars of affirmations answered his words as he led them through a gate that now had dead red armoured soldiers cut apart. As the assault force charged through the airfield, he looked up just in time to see the Aquila lander and fly off, somehow weaving in between the gunships punishing the air base with heavy fire. He gave a quick gesture and Gungnir squads Brachus quickly loaded a tracking round and fired, giving the thumb up to the Commander after he confirmed the round hit. Kyreg could only sigh as he looked up at the vessel flying away into the sky. With a heavy sigh, he ordered the human troops to land and cleanse the base. A few minutes later, gunships poured out of the sky and the Coyote Squadron troops landed and began their assault. The assault was precise, with G 6-7 Special Mission Units assisting them. The Severan Dominate soldiers didn't stand a chance as hotshot las rounds cut through their armour while the Coyote Squadron troops moved forward using cover and fire, as well as the ample fire support given by the gunships.

Kyreg growled as he slammed his armoured fist against a concrete pillar, crumbling it into chunks in frustration. He quickly moved forward and looked over at the tracker inside his helmet. The information had been relayed up to the Strike Cruiser, and he was sure that Centurion Maygis was keeping excellent track of where the Lander had gone to. However, it was another failure.

As the military base quickly was overrun, there were those who surrendered and would try and hold their hands out without weapons and Kyreg ordered that their surrenders be taken. As the two dozen or so soldiers left were taken aside and placed under armed guard by the Coyote Squadron soldiers, the dozen casualties sustained by the human troops would be carefully loaded onto a separate Stormeagle, to be given proper funerals on board the ship. That was something that was always carefully maintained no matter the circumstance. He knew that to fight alongside of the Astarte Legionnaires was a guaranteed path towards death but he also knew that from those on board, the mortals served with dedication. A proper funeral is a small thing in return.

"Sir, there are tribesmen approaching the base." One of the G 6-7 soldiers stated with a casual salute, one which Kyreg nodded at with a small grin. The soldiers of G 6-7 has been through hell and back with the 8th, their ancestors having served with distinction since the Crusade Era. Even on board now, there were gene tube born Geno soldiers who were created from DNA supplied by the soldiers themselves in order to create children that would be raised from birth to know war. By the time the children had grown to be adults, they were already seasoned special forces operatives. Unfortunately, they could not implant gene tube humans, as the geneseeds would not adapt and neither would the human bodies, making it a waste of life and geneseed. Kyreg would look over at the destroyed gate and see the Shaman leading a massive pack of feral humans. Kyreg took off his helmet and smiled in greeting to Quidel, whom he saw leading the massive pack. Behind him he could see other Shamans of different tribes. As he walked towards the gate, Quidel called out to him. "Angels of Star God! I have loyal servants of the Star God here with me." As one, the group of warriors all bowed down deeply, Kyreg gesturing for them to rise.

"You have done well Quidel. Now I have one more order to give you and one request for you. Take this large tribe, make your home here. Guard it against those who would not obey the Emperor. And my request, I wish to take from your tribes, young boys who I will make into Angels of the Emperor." Kyreg called out to the entire gathering. Quidel bowed again. "Angels give tribes much honour. Take from us boys and make them Angels." Kyreg gestured, and apothecaries from the different Legions present quickly began to make their way through to different boys, testing them with their equipment to ensure genetic matches. Finally, over two hundred boys were taken and the Shamans bowed again. "I will be back onto this world, Quidel. In my absence, I will name you Chief Shaman. Rule over your people, unite the tribes, and ensure this world remains loyal." The new Chief Shaman bowed and went to one knee. "Tribes will serve Star God. Tribes will die for Star God."

Kyreg gave them a nod as two Thunderhawk Gunships landed, as well as a few Stormbirds. "Officers, we depart this planet and we will give chase." Affirmatives rang back as the Legionnaires boarded the vessels. The Thunderhawks were loaded up with the aspirants, and they roared back into orbit. Kyreg smiled a little; at least they were able to find more aspirants. It sweetened the bitterness in his mouth from his failure to capture the rogue Interrogator once again. He had sworn an oath to Inquisitor Gregori, in exchange for his services and he will see that fulfilled.

Sergeant Yingr looked at the Commander approvingly. "Excellent choice, Commander. I believe these aspirants will do quite well, as feral world ones often provide strong stock." Kyreg looked at the Sergeant and smirked at him. "That might be the longest sentences you've ever said to me, Yingr." The Sergeant shrugged nonchalantly while Nahun beside him seemed to chuckle a little. "You laugh Nahun, yet you forget that you are still an apprentice." Nahun thought about it for a moment. "You are right Sergeant. But it's not often to see you being poked fun at." The Sergeant looked at him for a moment before breaking a rare smile, surprising even the Commander. "Commander, I have high hopes for the future. After all, we are a strike cruiser with Astartes on board again. Perhaps soon, an entire company can be fielded. Maybe even two. If I may offer some advice?" Kyreg looked at him for a moment and shrugged. "Sergeant, you have never failed to remind me that you were my Training Instructor, and that you will never stop being able to teach me so you might as well go ahead." Cracking a small smile, the Sergeant bowed his head slightly. "You are too kind, Commander. Perhaps a larger ship is needed. The Strike Cruiser can be kept and used, but maybe a battle barge." He shook his head for a moment and sighed lightly. "Sergeant, where am I going to find a battle barge?" Sergeant Yingr smiled at him and tilted his head the way he used to when teaching a valuable lesson. "You are aware, Sergeant, that Tyven V possesses the capacity to produce one? I took the liberty of having one made in your name when we were still on the planet." Kyreg closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head.

"You have too much of the Primarchs in you, Yingr. Yes, it would be a valuable addition to our forces, but you know that it will take us a long time in order to produce and staff one." Sergeant Yingr nodded and bowed his head slightly. "That is why I ordered the SDF crews of the Tyven V fleet to begin training on battleship simulators. Personnel can be provided for from the Tyven V planet." Kyreg paused for a moment and nodded. "Very well then. Depending on where we end up in.." "That is another matter too Commander. We have many initiates, but enough suits of armour or geneseeds." Kyreg narrowed his eyes slightly at the interruption. Of course very few people would even try to, much less get away with interrupting the Commander. Sergeant Yingr was one of four Astartes that could do so with ease. "Have you ever heard of a planet called Gothyr IX?" The Sergeant asked him before guiding him to a table where a large map was shown. "Gothyr IX is in the Macharia Sector, of the Segmentum Pacificus. It is a world belonging to the Adeptus Mechanicus, and on the planet, it's used to produce large amounts of refined minerals. However, underneath it is something that has been locked away since the Warmaster turned away from the Emperors light." Kyreg tilted his head at this information and nodded slightly, gesturing for the Sergeant to go on.

"It holds items made from before Ullanor, suits of power armour. And geneseeds, geneseeds from all the legions. The suits of armour are hidden underneath in the core of the planet almost along with the geneseeds in stasis. The current Mechanicus has no idea what they hold underneath, merely that there are certain sections that they do not have access for and that it is because the Omnissiah does not wish certain sections to be accessed. It's because they lack the Legion era access codes programmed into it. There are countless geneseeds from our Legion, from the XVI, the XII, and even the XV. Of course should we choose to, we can take geneseeds from the other legions as well? There are full suits of power armour along with arms furnished that was designed as an emergency reserve in case something went wrong. However during the Crusade, it was little known and therefore never used. It's existence went with the Emperor onto the Golden Throne, and it's records were destroyed or lost."

Kyreg looked at the Sergeant with curiosity. "Why do you know of this then, Yingr?" The Sergeant took off his helmet and set it on the map table before smiling. "Who do you think came up the idea of this? It was a reserve. Imagine if the Great Crusade did not start well, and we took casualties too many, too often. Even entire Expeditionary forces have come back to Terra or to other planets in order to resupply, to refuel. However now to replace Astartes, you lack the resources to. The Emperor or Malcador would be hard to reach of course, being on Terra or with one of the other Expeditionary Fleets. So how does an entire company of Astartes get replaced? It does not. I championed the idea to Malcador and he spoke to the Emperor at length about it, and the project was started. For every ten suits of power armour created, one suit was sent to the reserves. For every twenty geneseed produced, one more was sent to the crypt where it was held in stasis. The planet was chosen as it had no strategic value, so even if it was attacked, it would be a pinning action rather than taken. The Tech priests of Mars claimed it after, and began building on top. However, we can have a great victory, with gene seeds as well as power armour, not to mention the large quantities of processed and refined minerals for our ships forges and armoury."

Kyreg grinned at the prospect and nodded. "Very well then, we shall set course for Gothyr IX. The expansion of our force must be of utmost importance if we are to serve the Emperor." The Sergeant nodded and bowed his head. "The Emperor Expects."


	21. Chapter 21

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 21_**

The Kilo Zeta broke out of the warp in a gentle wave, the strike cruisers shielding protecting its occupants as well as its own body while the stealth shieldings still held. It made its way towards the galaxy system in which Gothyr IX held. Gothyr I to VIII were mining worlds producing rich resources for the actual processing plant of Gothyr IX. The ship itself would float quietly like a ghost closer to the planet, making it past the orbital defence platforms without a single problem. Of course there was not that many to begin with, although Gothyr IX was a forge world, it oddly did not produce much military grade equipment. Kyreg looked over at the map of the planet and nodded, Sergeant Yingr standing beside him and marking out various locations of interest. It had been more than a year since they had set out for the planet, the warp being as fickle and unpredictable as always.

"Right there, underneath the main spire, that is where the vault will be located, it will be set deep down in a vault that will not have been used." Kyreg nodded as he examined the structure carefully and grunted lightly in acknowledgement. "This seems like a standard deployment then. Stealth spear to infiltrate and render the defences useless and then Assault spear to land the killing blow." Kyreg said as he zoomed in on the map and looked over the various features on the map. There were hive locations where the indentured citizens basically lived and then there were the actual forges. The Mechanicus solid black structure that seemed to be their central control building for the planet was only two stories up in the air. However, it also meant that it would be difficult to ascertain just how many levels were underneath.

"I can state with confidence that the vault is at least ten kilometers underneath the surface. It could be more if they did terraforming or less if they had dug in." Yingr offered while Kyreg nodded. The bridge doors would open and Adept Kretis walked in with a waggle of one of his mechanical tentacles. "Ah Commander Kyreg, how wonderful it is to see you face to face again." The tech renegade spoke out with a surprisingly human voice as opposed to a mechanical tone. "Kretis, what do you want?" Kyreg asked with a slight hint of dread; when Kretis still worked at the Marauder Station, he was a tough nut to deal with on the best of days. "Well since we will be attacking a forge world, I believe that my assistance would be required. And of course nothing in this world is free so I believe I shall pay for my lodging on board with knowledge." Kyreg tilted his head with curiosity, and beckoned for the Adept to go on.

"Well you are attacking a forge world that although tactically not as significant as a world that may produce bolter shells or power armour, it is still a world that is of some significance to Mars. It produces valuable processed ingots and the like to be used in creation of greater and more complex blessings of the Omnissiah. However fighting against them can be a difficult task, especially as they are able to form strategies almost instantly with their ability to control and direct the Skitarii troops." The rogue Adept would smile with his mechanical mouth and clapped his hands together for effect. "In order to best fight the Adept, the uses of electronic disruptors may prove most crucial to you. Things such as EMPs, and viruses. Of course I am more than glad to offer you the use of viruses, you do carry or should carry EMP shells for your bombardment cannon on board."

Kyreg nodded as he listened to the adept, and nodded again at the mention of EMP shells. "Yes that has been taken into consideration already." The tech adept smiled a little and chuckled. "No offence Lord Astarte, but I highly doubt you have proper and powerful enough viruses on board to use. I however, can produce many." Kyreg looked at him and shook his head slightly with amusement. "Tell me then rogue adept. What would you like in return. Aside from simply room and board. I'm sure that you have already calculated the precise kcal you require and then measured a nutrient gruel in just the right amount to sustain you for the month."

Kretis smiled and bowed his head slightly. "You are ever a shrewd negotiator as ever. I simply propose that I be permitted to have some specific processed ingots and materials scavenged from the planet so that I may produce things that I require, as well as develop blessings of war that may be of some not insignificant benefit to you, Commander." Kyreg thought about this for a few moments before nodding. "Very well, so be it. Make a list of your requirements, and you can accompany us down to the surface as well." Kretis bowed again with a smile and exited the bridge. Yingr looked over at Kyreg and tilted his head. "Are you sure that's wise Commander?" The Commander shrugged slightly. "Resources are required by everyone, and if his plan is sound then so be it. If it is not then we can simply eliminate him."

The plan was quite simple. The orbital defences would be bypassed, and stealth teams would be dispatched to eliminate the massive communication tower next to the main station as well as sentries on stationary artillery. Then assault spear would take the main station through violence of action and hold until stealth spear has recovered the assets. Commander Kyreg checked his ammunition load out and gave everyone a nod as Stormeagles and Stormbirds were powered up. Thunderhawks were also warmed up and kept on battle readiness so as to act as recovery. Like they have done many times before, the transport gunships kept their shielding on and coasted down towards the surface, their presence undetected by the enemy until the very last minute. That was the way of the Legion, even with the addition now of the XVI and the XII Legionnaires that acted as their assault force.

The Stormeagle finally touched down and Kyreg was first down the ramp with his combi-stalker bolter held at the ready. Behind him, his team followed him in a tightly drilled formation that was one of the hallmarks of veteran units. The Stormeagle quickly powered down as the crew draped cameoline netting over it, covering it up until extraction was needed. The planet was almost barren, nothing but rocky stone steppes and Mechanicus structures that dotted the land scape. Kyreg quickly gestured for an advance and Xythos moved forward expertly over rocky terrain. Their cameoline cloaks fluttered slightly from their movements while their speed was kept down in order to allow the active camouflage ample time to hide themselves. Their ammunition this time was much more specialised, especially when their enemies were half if not more made up of machines. Diamantine tips found in normal bolter rounds were screwed onto a full melta charge core, the ability to destroy and melt down the metallic innards of their opponents just as important as armour piercing capabilities. Kretis was travelling with Asgeir squad, their objectives were the main Skitarii barracks just south of the main stationhouse. Gungnir was dispatched to eliminate stationary guns along with Anpa. The communication relay was all for Xythos to take out. Kyreg had made sure that the data chip that Kretis had programmed and given to him was stored safely in his armour before they had departed, Kretis had laughed when he had asked what was in the chip. Suffice to say, it was something that would be utterly disruptive to the Martian tech adepts on the planet.

As he got closer, he could see that there were indeed a unit of Skitarii that were there guarding the massive communications relay. At the base of the massive structure was a building which seemed to house the security controls and structural command center, as well as housed the tech guard patrolling the perimeter. In order to ensure that they did not fight the entire number all at once, Kyreg led his squad towards the flanks and the legionnaires quickly formed a skirmish line, their suppressed bolters at the ready. They advanced slowly but steadily, their armoured boots making not a single sound even over the hard stony surfaces. Kyreg and his squad quickly activated the jammer on their power armours, a device installed previously during the Great Crusade when technocratic worlds needed to be brought into compliance and the Legionnaires of the XX Legion needed a way to kill communication between advanced techno warlords and their heavily augmented troops.

Stepping in slowly towards one of the tech guards manning a large heavy bolter, Kyreg slammed his power dagger into the machine warriors head stabbed the razor sharp blade all the way through down to his spinal cords, paralyzing him as well as disabling the half machine soldiers still biological brain. Just to be on the safe side, he would slice the head off as an afterthought. Around him, members of Xythos were doing the same, their jammers keeping any communication from reaching anyone inside. Then with carefully practiced eyes, they would open fire after getting to the base of the communication structure, the Ronin pattern bolter rounds piercing through the helmets and plates of the Skitarii while the melta charge core incinerated their augmentations as well as their remaining biological organs. They engaged quickly but silently, with three round bursts aimed at the chest as well as the heads of the sentries outside. As they got to the door, Kyreg examined it and gestured for Thobor to open it. Closing his eyes for a moment, the psyker legionnaire placed an armoured gauntlet on the double doors locks and concentrated, his mind unlocking the door with a slight click even as his psyker powers sent frost over a portion of the door. Opening the door slowly, Kyreg would be greeted by the sight of two other sentries, his quick reaction sending a single three round burst into each of his targets. The bolter rounds would penetrate through the simple steel alloy armour they wore and the melta charges detonated with rapid soft hisses, turning metal into slag and flesh into ash as the two sentries dropped to the ground, their stub carbines thudding on the floor. However the sound of the two heavy firearms hitting the ground caused others to investigate. A full squad of Skitarii fanned out and opened fire from inside the command center, their hellguns screaming as they opened up. Kyreg only laughed slightly before opening fire, his squad following him as they fired on the move while charging towards the Skitarii warriors. Hellgun bolts were easily absorbed by the artificer power armours worn by the veteran legionnaires, their bolt guns giving no forgiveness as the melta charges turned the machine cult soldiers into puddles of slag and burnt flesh.

As they approached the entrance to the command center, Kyreg gave a quick signal and Kraken magazines were loaded while each Legionnaire activated their prey sight targeters. Figures appeared inside in a mixture of blue and red heat signatures and they began firing through the walls. The Kraken bolt rounds easily penetrated the concrete wall and flew in where the heavy shells made quick work of any signatures inside. Before they entered, a melta bomb was activated and thrown inside where after a loud explosion, Xythos entered with Kyreg leading them through to see just the damage they had caused. Body parts both biological and mechanical lay everywhere and the melta bomb seemed to have done the rest. Finding an intact command console, he inserted the data chip and let the automated program run by itself. A few moments later, a series of machine binary codes were sent out across the entire planet, entire networks shut down by the virus and the various servitors as well as the higher ranking tech priests were forced into involuntary shut down mode as well as signals were disabled.

Sergeant Daygis strode through the smoking wrecks of the heavy weapon emplacements, his stalker bolter smoking from the end of the suppressor as the rest of his men planted charges at each corner of the barracks building before retreating to safe distances. A single press of a detonator button and the entire structure collapsed in on itself. "Casualties?" He quickly called out across the squad vox. "Nothing lethal Sergeant." Peredur responded even as he gave a quick injection of a stronger blood clotting agent to Aslan, one of Asgeir's heavy weapon specialists. Daygis nodded as he drove his unit forward, Kretis following behind them armed with an ancient plasma pistol in one hand and a grenade launcher in another. The fight had been brutal, Asgeir having to resort to close quarter assault in order to demolish the heavy weapon systems after careful reconnaissance of the barracks perimeter. Not that Daygis truly minded, surprise assaults being one of the specialties of the veteran assault troops.

Sergeant Rythor acknowledged the report sent by Tarquin, the Thousand Son stealth squad having plotted out and mapped out each of the massive guns that lined around the main station. Instead of engaging directly, Sergeant Rythor and Sergeant Tarquin compiled and sent a burst of encrypted data containing pinpoint coordinates for each of the heavy guns.

"Requesting fire mission, coordinates sent through. Target, enemy heavy artillery. Three rounds each, target destruction requested."

The reply came back after a few seconds. "Zeta Flight, targets received. Splash down in ten." A few kilometers away, the two Fire Raptors split away as their Hellstrike missile systems armed. A series of Hellstrike missiles were fired and sent on their way towards their targets where ten seconds later, a series of explosions ringed around the command station of the entire planet. "Solid hit on targets. Thanks for the assist Zeta." The two Fire Raptors quickly rejoined the Stormhawks flying above the toxic cloud cover a few moments after their ground support missions were completed with laser precision. The legionnaires quickly surrounded the place as more tech guard would exit the command station with their weapons blazing. Of course tech guards were no match for veteran Legionnaires who responded with a withering wave of bolter fire, the virus on the communication center crippling the combat capability of the Skitarii troops. Officers were targeted and eliminated quickly while the twin-bolters of the Anpa legionnaires raked punishing fusillades through the ranks of the half machine warriors that proved incapable of operating on their own without their officer's guidance. "Objective is red. Sector is a green." Sergeant Tarquin voxed even as he held down the trigger on his volkite charger and sent the red beam through multiple targets, the powerful volkite beam detonating any of the Skitarii soldiers they hit.

High up over the cloud cover, their radar signatures disguised by both their stealth fields as well as the pollution that was ever present scattered in the atmosphere of forge worlds, the single Stormbird powered up its engines and dove down towards their objective. Following it was a single Stormeagle, its Hellfire missiles trailing down and detonated into the sides of the command building, shredding open glass and sending shrapnel through the halls and cutting apart numerous enemies. Following the action of its much smaller cousin, the Stormbird would hover just above ground and fire its own Hellfire missiles through the gaping hole created by the previous missile strikes. These missiles would detonate inside the command structure, disabling security features as well as shredding apart enemy reinforcements. As the Stormbird touched down, its heavy bolter batteries would fire in support as Captain Ikanis leapt out of the ramp even before it touched the ground.

"Kanis, take the bridgehead. Icarius, form the spear around our brothers. Ladon, ensure the spearhead is not sullied by the fire of enemy gun emplacements." The assault spear units responded with affirmatives as Sergeant Fratis quickly directed the XX Legionnaires to advance the Rapiers forward, the laser destroyers on the mobile weapon platforms sending bright red beams of fire into any muzzle flashes they saw, the weapon platforms working in conjunction with the auto-targeters of their power armour helmets.

With a roar of challenge, Sergeant Atilius thumbed the activation stud of his power axe and charged across the battlefield even as hard rounds and las shots would be casually deflected by the suit of blue trimmed white power armour. The Warhound veterans were true assault veterans, with Ilham his heavy support gunner keeping up alongside of the blue and white line even as he depressed the firing stud of his massive auto cannon, the powerful weapons sending explosive rounds into the openings that would explode on impact, sending shrapnel throughout the enemies defensive positions. At the same time, Captain Icarius formed his squad behind the charging Warhounds, his squad firing in support even as they drew close quarter weapons in preparation.

In any assault, the first few seconds right after a charge impacts a defensive line is where the tenaciousness of the defenders is pit up against the aggression of the attackers. The Warhounds gave the Skitarii defenders no such time. The scream of chain axes would cut down those that were brave enough to counter attack while the violence of action forced those who would try and fire back to furiously defend themselves against blades wielded by veteran assault troops who gave absolutely no mercy. With a roar, Atilius sliced his power axe through the torso of a Skitarii Alpha who was much more machine than man, the enemy commander collapsing onto the ground in pieces as the veteran Sergeant smashed his power axe through him at least four times before the Alpha could even draw his own power sword in defence. Within moments, the defenses were broken and any survivors were quickly put to the sword with combat blades severing nervous systems from machine.

"Primary objective is green. Sector is green." Captain Ikanis reported over the vox, Commander Kyreg smiling underneath his helmet as he looked over the battlefield from inside his helmet. The ramp of the Stormbird would touch down, the ramp coming down and the XX Commander exiting the gunship. "Excellent work Captain. Now it is time to claim our prize." Kyreg and the other members of Stealth spear began to enter the blown out structure, fire still blazing around and causing flares of heat to appear to any who wore thermal goggles. Xythos lead the advance with Gungnir and Anpa following them down.

The inside of the command station was made up of solid brushed steel with devotional scriptures to the Omnissiah welded onto the walls with metal wires twisted to form the letters. Kyreg kicked over the body of a dead tech adept and grimaced underneath his helmet. The Machine Cult of Mars disgusted him and while he understood the deal made by the Emperor in order to provide the Great Crusade with weapons and material, he still felt disgust at their worship of machines. Out of all those who followed him, even the tech marines understood that machines were not holy, they simply were. He forgave Mordin his eccentrics but the Artificer understood the line that was not to be crossed. Worship lead to the excesses that caused the fall, and his bolt pistol strapped to his right armoured leg would be the only retort he would provide. Anpa quickly checked the command center and began to insert data chips provided into any command consoles that still stood intact. The viruses would begin to infect the system, disabling security features as well as various overrides. Sergeant Tarquin gave a thumb up to the Commander who nodded and shouldered his combi-stalker bolter and began to advance through the structure. There were great halls with displays of technology from the dark ages from simple things such as a mixer for nutrient gruel to the loading chamber meant for large calibre tank cannons. While Xythos advanced forward through the structure slowly, Anpa brought up the rear while Sergeant Rythor led Gungnir in the middle with Adept Kretis examining various devices they saw and taking notes, muttering to himself as his servitor skull would record his comments. Behind Gungnir was Sergeant Daygis who had Asgeir squad armed with their combi twin linked bolters loaded down with Kraken penetrator shells for extra firepower.

As Kyreg looked at a ramp descending downwards, he signalled to Thobor would activated a psyker controlled servitor skull that flew down the ramp as it cloaked quickly, its presence undetected by the group of Skitarii soldiers who were in ad hoc defensive positions, positioned behind plasteel boards raised as armour as well as sandbags holding the armour boards in place. Kyreg saw this through his helmet display as Thobor quickly engaged the live vid feed so that every member of the stealth spear could see it. "We smoke, and then we destroy." Smoke grenades were taken carefully and Asgeir squad threw in a mixture of blind grenades in as well, the grenades rolling down the ramp and in moments, the underground room was covered with smoke as well as the infrared baffling materials mixed in with the smoke. Series of binary codes were sounded back and forth as the tech guards were blinded, Kyreg easily leading the stealth spear past them before Anpa squad moved forward through the smoke, setting down blast charges in front of the plasteel boards before whishing through the smoke. Once the Legionnaires were all behind the enemy, the blast charges were detonated, throwing the defensive line into chaos as the Skitarii opened up, assuming that a frontal charge was happening. Even as machine soldiers were blown into pieces by the blasting charges being detonating in non-sequential patterns, the ranks opened fire and many were cut down by their own las bolts or solid rounds being fired in rapid succession. In the confusion, Kyreg drew his phase sword and the stealth spear cut into the enemy ranks from the rear, blades sending limbs and a mixture of blood and machine oil flinging through the air.

In only moments, the slaughter was complete, even the tech guard of the Mechanicus no match for the XX Legion tactics. With satisfaction, Kyreg ordered the advance deeper down. As he walked further down the massive room that was a stockpile room for different materials and items, he gave the command over the radio. "Blue Ceaser."

Sergeant Yingr exited the Thunderhawk along with Nahun who stood by his side impassively who carried the Umbra Ferrox pattern bolter wordlessly, a massive drum magazine inserted into the relic weapon and gestured for the initiates to advance with them. Dressed in modified carapace armour all painted a dark grey, their only markings for which squad they were destined to join if they succeed a small strip of colour painted on the collar of their carapace plates. These Initiates had been implanted during the long trip in the warp with the geneseed of those who had fallen in battle so far. Carrying suppressed bolters, they formed up behind the veteran Sergeant and his pupil quickly as the Sergeant began to proceed into the darkened structure.

Kyreg pushed the stealth spear forward, leading further down into the structure where tech adepts could be seen fleeing. He put a hand gently, a signal to his force for them to leave them be, their stealth shields disguising them from the panicked lines of tech adepts making their way to the surface to ensure their own survival. Soon, they had reached what seemed to be the end of their journey, the long trek downwards having lead them to a massive basement complex filled with massive loading trays filled with processed ingots, with rarer metals on trays laid out carefully. Servitors stood in the massive room, running on standby mode with minimal power as their masters had already fled for safety. At the end of it was a massive vault door more than twenty feet high and more than fifty feet long. It held no symbol on it except a massive Aquila made of an odd blue metal inlaid into the adamantium door.

Sergeant Yingr trekked down with his Initiates, having also opted to ignore the fleeing tech adepts before standing in front of the Commander and smiling underneath his helmet. The Commander had simply been waiting for him while beside the command console. The veteran Sergeant raised a hand in greeting before punching in the nineteen digit code and a sample of his blood to the access panel before it begin to power on. Bright white lights that had not been turned on in millennia powered on and lit the basement chambers, while the massive ten foot thick door began to open slowly. However the activation process also powered up the vaults guardians. Standing there and powering up slowly were two dusk blue Contemptor pattern Dreadnoughts, each standing up as their ancient suits were powered up and they would step forward in loud thudding steps.

"Who dares enter the sanctum rendered upon the Legios Astartes by the Emperor himself? Speak now or I shall give you death." The first one growled as it powered up its twin-linked auto-cannon, loading mechanisms clinking as ammunition was loaded and the twin autocannons powered up. The second one stepped forward as well with a loud hum as the volkite culverins linked together on its right arm showed a distinctive red glow on the weapons breach as it powered up.

Kyreg stepped forward and took off his helmet, locking his stalker bolter at his side while Sergeant Yingr did the same. "Honoured ancients, I am Yingr. Authorization passcode _Forgotten Second and Eleventh._ " The two dreadnoughts stopped and lowered their weapons. "And who have you brought us then? Who is it that you deem worthy of breaking the Emperor's seal."

"I am Commander Kyreg, of the 8th Harrow. Formerly Captain of the 8th Harrows 1st Shroud." Kyreg responded as he stepped forward, his cameoline cloak fluttering slightly at his movement. One of them stepped forward and seemed to make a grunting sound. "I remember a brand new battle brother named Kyreg. A whelp who one of my brothers tranquilized after he held a recruitment squad at bay with a smuggled in grenade." Those who had known him for long enough chuckled quietly while Kyreg seethed slightly inside. "We are one and the same, Ancient." The other one stepped forward until he was almost stepping on Kyreg and his servos whined slightly as it seemed to look down at the Astartes Commander. "I also remember a Kyreg. But he was an upstart Sergeant who believed himself worthy of leading a 1st Harrow kill team onto Ullanor but found himself at the wrong side of an ork axe and had the honour of at least falling in the sight of the Emperor himself." Kyreg laughed at that and nodded. "Yes, that is me as well." The second dreadnought grunted and righted himself before stepping back. "Well, you finally made Commander. That is disturbing news. Did Commander Olysseium finally bite the bullet?" Kyreg frowned for a moment. "Commander Olysseium was relieved of command by myself." The dreadnought raised his weapon again.

"He was a traitor to the Emperor. Almost our entire Legion is, ancient." Kyreg continued even as the twin barrels of the volkite culverins were aimed at his head. He continued on, telling them of the Horus Heresy, of what had transpired and what had led them here. After he finished, the dreadnought lowered his weapon and grunted again. "We bear the colours of shame then, Commander. Tell me then, who are you for? Who do you follow?" Kyreg raised his head just a little bit and replied. "I follow the Emperor, as the XX should have from the start. I follow the last legal command given, which was to bring his Great Crusade to the stars and destroy the enemies of mankind." The dreadnoughts chuckled as they stepped forward again.

"Who would have thought that a young whelp that once held grenades at some of the first Astartes would have the balls to resist the path of the Genefather. Very well then Commander, we deem you worthy, and we will serve under your command." They both seemed to bow slightly as they lowered their front servos. Kyreg nodded in thanks. "We have those like us, those of the XVI, the XII and the XV. We require the geneseeds and the armour here, as well as the weaponry here as we seek to expand our force. "Very well then. We will allow it under one condition." Kyreg bowed slightly. "Yes honoured ones. Tell me of your condition."

"We will allow it if you were to take every container of geneseed, every suit of armour and every weapon in this vault from the most treasured of bolters to the smallest combat knives and then bring us with you so that we may always guard them." Kyreg nodded in agreement. "It will be as you said then, honoured ones."

Kretis would walk forward and made a series of binary codes, the servitors inside the basement powering up. "Condition Azure." Kyreg stated over the vox, his command reaching the Thunderhawks floating above in the atmosphere as every single transport and gunship vessel flew down towards the surface. Servitors were taken over by Kretis from all over the building and sent down as suits of power armour were taken, as well as geneseeds. Chief Apothecary Armand came down himself to inspect the geneseeds, as they were reverently taken and set in mobile stasis tanks and taken on board for transport. It took more than nine hours without rest or respite but finally, every item was transported on board with multiple flights of Thunderhawks and Stormbirds. The initiates were detailed as well, loading up crates with weapons and the like so that the servitors may take them up to the surface faster.

Kyreg stepped forward and bowed towards the two dreadnoughts. "I would ask you of your names, honoured ones." The one with the volkite culverin walked forward followed by the one with the twin autocannons. "I am Haeseler and this is Arcadius." Kyreg laughed and went down on a knee for the two. "I remember you as Sergeant Haeseler and Sergeant Arcadius of the 1st Harrow, those responsible for inducting me as well as many others into the Legion." Haeseler laughed through the external vox cast. "And I did not think to see the day that a grenade toting pup would hold Commanders accolades upon his armour. I have perhaps underestimated you." Arcadius seemed to snort. "I always knew he would become a Commander. He was always headstrong, reminded me more of the Wolves or even an Imperial Fist rather than one of us." Kyreg smiled as he would walk up to the two after getting up and placed a hand on the dusk blue armour on them. "I am truly gladdened, honoured ones. I am reminded of a time when the colours of the XX Legion were hidden not out of shame but out of duty to the Emperor."

"Well young Commander, now you will take us on board and we will continue our vigil. The task was given to us by the Emperor himself and we must follow through." Kyreg nodded as he led the two ancient dreadnoughts outside. "Of course. I insist however, that your bodies are examined by our tech marines. It has been a very long time and your components require maintenance." Haeseler laughed through his external vox even as he slowly stomped on board a waiting Thunderhawk. "I told you Haeseler, he's already busy giving orders. We should have drowned him." Arcadius stated as he chuckled and climbed on board as well. Kyreg shook his head as the ramp closed but smiled underneath his helmet. He was quite glad to see the two again, it was quite easy to forget at the times now the brotherhood that used to exist in Legion strength.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 22_**

As the multitude of transports flew up towards the strike cruiser, Kyreg looked around at the overall structure that had been destroyed as Captain Ikanis and Sergeant Atilius trotted to his side, the XVI Captain had his helmet off and a wolfish grin on his face. The Warhound also had his helmet off but had a more appraising smile to his face instead of the playful one on the Luna Wolf Captain. "This was an excellent assault Commander. Truth be told, I am surprised by the amount of resistance that was put up. No casualties on our end but there are definitely a few body parts that might need to be replaced by augmentics." Ikanis said as he patted Kyreg on the pauldron. Atilius saluted the XX Legion Commander with an armoured gauntlet across his breastplate. "Yes, just hurt pride and wounded limbs. No lives lost, which I am glad for. We were once more than forty, now only eight of the Warhounds remain." Kyreg nodded before looking over the battlefield where the Assault Spear legionnaires as well as the remainder of his Stealth Spear legionnaires were dug into the surrounding areas around the former command station. The wounded were tended to by the apothecaries while those uninjured or still capable of holding their weapons were in cover, their armoured bulk hidden by the craters that was their bunkers right now.

"We have found our prize. There are so many suits of power armour, and we have emptied the vault of all geneseed. As per the wishes of the Ancient ones." He replied as he watched the last shipment of power armour and weapons were sent up to the Strike Cruiser. "The next batch of transport gunships should be for our extraction, I want one trip up, no more than that." The two Legionnaire Officers both nodded while Ikanis took a deep breath in and shook his head. "This planet smells of pollution. Of chemical and metallic discord." Kyreg chortled slightly at the Luna Wolf Captain. "It's a forge world. It is a place where even the water itself is acid and can be used to burnish our armour." Atilius snorted at the words but still nodded in agreement. "Perhaps it is good that we are leaving then." The XVI Captain stopped for a moment and then sighed a little. "Am I a fool for remembering and missing the days where the XVI was the favoured and received the finest armour and weapons that the Mechanicus could produce and get their hands on?" Atilius shook his head. "I too remember those days, where the heavens trembled at our approach. Where planets surrendered only because the XII was in their system and awaited the command to exterminate the planet. I remember when the XII fought always as a Legion, forcing breaches in the enemy lines where the enemy once believed unbreakable." Kyreg smiled at the other Legionnaires words. "Enough reminiscing gentlemen, we have an extraction to pull off." The other two officers nodded and set their helmets back on and trotted off to their respective defensive positions.

Kretis would approach the XX Legion Commander and bowed towards him. "I am glad you kept your word Commander. I have acquired sufficient resources for what I need to do." Behind him could be seen six servitors he had repurposed from the basement vault each carrying a massive grav lift filled with different kinds of mineral crates and boxes. Kyreg nodded at the tech adept and gestured towards a single Stormbird that had landed close to where the Commander was. "You can bring your servitors on board that, adept. You will be escorted by a squad of my troops." The tech rogue smiled and bowed in thanks to the legionnaire. "You surprise me Commander. You could take this planet if you wished to, and have an entire forge world enslaved to your will. Yet you choose not to." Kyreg looked at the tech adept and tilted his head, as if to ask the rogue tech priest what his point was.

"Why do you not Commander? After the assault on Marauder Station, you could have installed yourself as the new ruler. I highly doubt that the Magos could have done anything after most of his gun servitor troops were destroyed by the Chaos incursion." Kretis seemed to pause questioningly, unsure if he should proceed with the question. Kyreg sighed softly and then laughed a little. "Install myself as the ruler of Marauder Station; for what purpose? So that I may rule over a small meaningless domain and hide from my enemies in the fringes, my only use to be of a rest stop of sorts and repair station for renegades, traitors and xenos alike? I think not adept. We are not mortals, nor do we think the way mortals do. We exist to serve the Emperor's Will. No more, no less." Kretis took these words in and made a few beeps in machine code, activating the servitors who began to haul his metals on board the transport gunship before bowing once again to the XX Legionnaire. "You are truly one of the most unique characters I have met Commander." Kyreg snorted a little bit while Kretis held a hand up. "Truly Commander, I do not know of any who would hold back such as you have done on a planet that is ripe for the picking. Certainly not even within the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes could some Commanders resist the temptation to take over a planet for their own chapter."

Kyreg looked at the adept with a small smile. "Is that not why half the Legion fell and turned their guns towards their own brothers, because of the temptation of such power that flooded their own brains with thoughts and dreams of boons undeserved and ill placed amongst the ranks of warriors? Where warriors think to become rulers, the warriors have only one method; to dispose of the ruler. That is when the warrior ceases to become a warrior and casts off his oaths and his bonds to become renegade." Kretis nodded and bowed again. "You are most enlightening, Commander." The adept stated with respect in his voice before boarding the transport ship, which rose from the ground and began to fly back towards the strike cruiser. Kyreg looked up and sighed a little, before placing the helmet back on his head. He could not lie and say that he was not tempted by the idea of running a space station as its king. He had enough troops, both Astartes and mortal to make it happen. However every time he thinks of these thoughts, he thinks of the day where brothers fired upon brothers and he is reminded of the price that must be paid when Legions thought to rule.

Along the side of the bridge stood the Lupi Titania, where Catriona stood unhelmed, although her helmet was clipped to her belt while the other Sisters all stood with their blades sheathed but their bolters held in hand. Catriona had her bolter clipped to her right side within easy reach to draw it quickly should she need to. She raised her head slightly as she shot a look to the Commander who nodded and walked over with his helmet off as well. "What can I do for you Sister?" He would ask with a nod of acknowledgement to the others Sisters of Silence.

"You left us here while you went to battle. I would know the reason why." The armoured Olivion Knight would respond as she tilted her head up a little with slight indignation. Kyreg thought about her question for a moment. "Simply put, it was because I needed someone on board to defend the ship. It was the Lupi Titania and Taleon who remained behind, and may I remind you that Taleon contains the last of our Terminator veterans so you were not held in low esteem in such a tasking." Catriona seemed much more mollified with that answer and bowed her head, her massive topknot cresting behind her as she bowed towards the Commander. "Very well then Commander, I simply request that we not be just left behind without explanation. We take our duties extremely seriously and I shall not have my Sisters and I standing around a bridge wondering where our role shall be." Kyreg nodded and smiled slightly. "I will ensure better communication in the future." Catriona nodded with a slight sniff, before tilting her head to look over at one of the map displays projected on the bridge itself. "Tell me Commander, did we gain what we were looking for here?" Kyreg looked at the map that the Sister of Silence had her eyes on and nodded. "It was an important objective. If we are to grow with strength then we must have the necessary tools for it. A task that must be done, although it was held by the Mechanicus which means that I will not have to explain their slaughter to the Emperor."

Catriona seemed a bit surprised at his words. "I thought the Mechanicus saw the Emperor as the Omnissiah." Kyreg snorted at her reply. "Of course they do. That's why they venerate the Emperor and do whatever it is that they wish to do in order to collect more information or technology. No, Mars is for themselves. It just so happens that they require Terra to survive as well, while Terra needs Mars to supply its armies with weapons and warships. It is a relationship that is made more palatable by having the Martians claim the Emperor as their God. You have seen how the Emperor punishes those who worship him as a God." Catriona nodded, she had heard rumours about what had happened to the Urizen and she knew that her Sisters had been there with weapons at the ready should the Word Bearers have not yielded in that moment. The sanction had been an utter ultimatum given to Lorgar and his sons by the Emperor.

"Yes. I see why you have hold such distaste of them. I of course care not for their existence but it made me curious Commander. Do not underestimate me, should I find you wanting I will fulfil my duty to the Emperor as well." The Sisters of Silence had always been used as executioners by the Emperor during the Great Crusade, which is why an entire regiment was always kept beside him in case and were used anytime there was the threat of an enemy psyker that could throw a battlefield into disarray. They of course always acted his will upon his enemies and killed those who moments before had been allies. Kyreg laughed without malice as he shook his head. "I expect nothing less Catriona. Of course, I did not expect the famed Sisters of Silence to be so similar to the Wolves of Fenris." The female officer snorted before gesturing for the other Sisters to follow her while she would move to stand behind him and to the left. The other Sisters formed around her while Kyreg looked at them with a puzzled smile on his face before heading out of the bridge and towards the section of the ship sequestered for use by the tech marines as well as other adepts.

The double doors slid open as Centurion Maygis stood there with his arms crossed, his assistants who made up the pilots of the various vessels on board the Kilo Zeta guiding various servitors to different stations where weapons as well as power armour was being suited up. The double doors were guarded by four Initiates who wore the small insignia of the XX on their collar gorget wielding combat shotguns. Each Initiate all saluted the Commander, Kyreg acknowledging their fists slammed against their carapace breastplates with a nod of thanks before he stepped into the doorway. Maygis would turn around and held up his hands high towards the Commander. "Finally Commander, you truly bring me gifts instead of more damage to the relics you wear. I can almost say today that I am glad to be under your command." Kyreg snorted slightly. "Your sarcasm does you credit Centurion. I am shocked that your ability to express emotion has not yet been replaced by a data chip or something." Maygis sighed as he shook his head and gestured towards all the equipment being offloaded from the Thunderhawks, precious metals needed to produce ammunition as well as weapons of differing degrees and of course, the power armour itself. The power armour was guarded by the Initiates who seemed to be supervised by Sergeant Lefias who stood in his power armour instead of the Terminator armour he usually was found in. Taleon squad was there with their heavy weapons and moving the Initiates around to best defend the power armour that was being loaded into secured holding tanks. Some armour was indeed already painted in the colours of the Legion they were meant for, while most were blank, their only colour the dull steel grey of the armour.

"So tell me, how many suits of armour were there?" Kyreg asked as he looked at the servitors who were off loading and moving them into the appropriate sections. "Well Commander, consider ourselves lucky. We gained access to ninety suits of painted armour, and more than three hundred suits of unpainted. Not all are in perfect working conditions and require some level of maintenance and repair, but it seemed that the painted suits of armour were meant for Sergeants or veteran units. They are quite gilded in different manners. While the unpainted suits are Mark III power armour, the painted suits of armour are all Maximus pattern armour. Of course those meant for XX use will require my modifications." Kyreg nodded and looked at the suits of armour still being loaded. "I wish for this Centurion. One suit in each Legion colour will be put together as a monument. A monument to brotherhood that was once shared by the entire Legios Astartes, and this monument will be placed in the Strike Cruiser's chapel. The rest, please consult the appropriate Legion officers for what should be done with the suits of armour painted in their colours." Maygis nodded in appreciation, a monument made up of the painted armour from before Horus threw his lot in with Chaos. It was something that was necessary, a reminder to those on the strike cruiser that millennia ago, every Legionnaire swore an oath to the Emperor and this will be the reminder of the oath.

"What about weapons then Centurion? And ammunition?" Maygis would pick up a data slate that rested on a massive pile made up of various crates containing everything from ore to weapons to ammunition. "They are still being inventoried. So far, we have found quite a bit of bolters, bolt pistols, and a few heavy weapons. Relic weapons are still being discovered as we go. Ammunition is plentiful, but most of it is not ammunition that we use. They are simple conventional bolt rounds that I believe our brothers in the assault spear can make use of. Unless you wish them to fire specialist ammunition as well?" "Keep half of it stored as regular ammunition. I'm sure someone on board will use it, whether it is a brother Legionnaire or one of the Sisters here. Cainite rounds and Kraken rounds are still held as priority production items." Maygis would nod again before gesturing over towards the processed minerals brought on board. "With those, I can produce more of our own ammunition supplies as well as accessories and repair items for our weapons. Those weapons that are being seized, I wish for a chance to examine them further and modify them. I believe that I can produce more customized weapons for our strike teams to use. Of course it also means that we do not require wasting resources to produce our own patterns of bolters from the grounds up, rather I already have a base built in."

Kyreg nodded and looked over at the Initiates that were being used to assist the armoury as well. "I wish for the Mark III suits to be painted. Paint only the amount of Initiates that we currently have, the Mark IVs we shall leave for the other Legions to decide. However I want them all modified. Backpacks on the Mark III suits need to be more efficient. Of course the Mark IV's painted in XX colours require the usual battery of camouflage technology and hologram displays all over the actual armour itself." The tech marine nodded and gestured to where Kretis was with some servitors who were now offloading various metals and ingots onto machines and tooling sets. "I foresee some interesting developments from the tech adept. Did you know that he was once in charge of weapons development until he tried to make use of xenos tech and that was when he went on the run from Mars?" Kyreg nodded slightly. "I assumed that for a tech adept to be declared heretek, it must be because he tried to do something new." Maygis gestured towards the small changes on Kyreg's power armour. "That is because our Genefathers, for all their crimes, they understood one clear thing. If the technology works and can be used to turn the battle in our favour, then let it be so. Let us adapt it, use it and shape it to our image. However Mars will always remain in the dark and it will never progress, only deter the advancement of humanity."

The strike cruiser began to make towards the closest warp jump point, their prize secure, the strike force returned to their original objective, the traitor Mikhail. The tracker was still active and it was to be found on a most unlikely place. "Commander, the tracker was found, the beacon is still active. It stopped at a civilian space station and then moved further towards the Eye of Terror." The vox message was sent by Catriona who stayed on the bridge and sent the report when the signal was re-discovered.

"Any specific planet it's heading towards?" Kyreg responded. "It seems like a death world. Teletyr II. Declared death world due to the massive jungles that cover the entire planet. Tactical data suggests that due to the thick foliage all around, landing with assault craft may not be possible." Kyreg sighed softly and gave the order. "Pursue. Attempt to intercept if possible. If we absolutely have to, we will deploy a small team on the planet, a hunter killer team."

The order was relayed rapidly, the serfs on board changing course and adjusting the engine speeds. Kyreg returned to his own quarters where he would carefully set his helmet down on the Spartan desk there and sat on the bed that was there. He closed his eyes again, letting his mind wander and his brain slowly shut down a little bit at a time before sleep finally overtook him.

 _Compliance 2293785_

The sound of the heavy weapons being fired finally roused the defenders even as the massive cannons of the Imperial Auxilia liquefied enemy positions and turned bunkers into burning wrecks. The brave men and women of the 566th Imperial Army regiment advanced through the sandstorm, their greatcoats clutched tightly around them even as they advanced with bayonets drawn. The dark green uniformed soldiers didn't advance with clear objectives, only that they were advancing towards the enemy. The defenders began to fire back, hundreds of thousands of solid slug rounds flying through the air and hitting flesh and bone as hundreds of 566th troopers fell to the ground dead but still they kept coming. From the north side came the 1019th Khitoffen Rifles in their trade mark spiked helmets and long spear like bayonets on the ends of their las rifles, their advance held by an officer in a gold trimmed cloak who awaited the signal from the voxcaster.

The defenders fired back even as more of their positions were liquefied, until a flight of jets flew over and the guns were silenced by multiple rockets striking into the artillery line. Even as lines of anti-aircraft fire flew into the air, it was already too late. The Commander of the 566th could only grit his teeth as he ordered the advance forward some more, his power saber in one hand and a large ornate bolt pistol in the other. Around him, more of his men died, felled by the large calibre solid slug rounds that the enemy favoured. The air was acrid with the tang of gunpowder and the sweet smell of death; this was the 4th attack. The General ordering the assault had no illusions about what would happen if this attack failed, it would mean the end of his command career and so more than fifty thousand men had been marshalled for this assault on the planet, this was the bridgehead that they needed to take and it needed to be done now.

The signal was finally given and the 1019th Khitoffen Rifles began their charge with their bayonets fixed. Over ten thousand infantrymen began their attack towards the enemy positions, the hope that more men thrown into the flames would drown the fires at some point. Even as the 1019th attacked, the soldiers of the 566th could only duck and crawl in the sands, using the bodies of their dead comrades as the only cover they could find. They began to fire back, their las rifles blasting thin ruby beams into the enemy positions but they were stuck in the open with no cover.

As the 1019th got into range, the defenders opened up on them as well, with long barreled auto cannons sending large calibre shells into the ranks of the charging soldiers, bodies flying as shells detonated amongst the tightly packed ranks. It was a slaughter but the men of the 1019th grit their teeth and continued the advance until they at last got within one hundred meters of the enemy position. By then there were only a few hundred of them left and they used the same tactics as the 566th. Hunkered down behind the dark grey uniformed bodies that cluttered the sands around them, they could only fire back with their las rifles with the occasional rocket that was launched towards the enemy positions. The 566th Commander asked for support over the radio, for artillery or air strikes to bolster his position. The reply came back was to succeed or die. Cursing the name of the General, the officer was about to disobey orders when the enemy positions began exploding, detonating as various caches of ammunition exploded and starved the enemy heavy guns of any ammunition or really, any personnel to man them.

Sergeant Kyreg looked out with satisfaction from within the dust covered interior of the city, on top of the Kings palace. Behind him lay corpses, soldiers in black uniforms and silver trimming that littered the rooftop, his power sword still dripping blood as he turned and went back downstairs. The detonator in his hand was quickly crushed and disposed of as he made his way downstairs with his bolter in hand. The bottom of the staircase was covered with gore and more bodies, with bolt round craters in the walls and all along the staircase itself. The King sat along in his throne room, his advisors and his guards all slaughtered in a brutal fury, but the King still sat with royal dignity as he looked at the Astarte who walked in.

"Are you not finished killing my people, foreign warrior? Will you not even grant me the dignity to die as a King?" Kyreg looked at the man and looked away for a moment as he looked at the King's family, cowering in their seats at the long table in front of the throne. "Tell me why you came here, why you have brought such ruin to my people, why you have killed my men, good loyal men who served me until their dying breath, brought low by a killer like you." Kyreg ignored his words as he waited, his mind calculating the precise seconds before he would pull the detonator from his armour and triggered it.

The enemy positions exploded as charges dug deep into the sand detonated and sent sand flying everywhere like lethal shrapnel, the carefully dug enemy trenches disappearing as the sand flooded over the flak boards used to keep the trenches open, killing many and burying many alive. At the same time, the large gates all around the city itself detonated, shaped charges cutting through chains and locking mechanisms to send the pieces of the gates crashing down onto the sand covered entrances. The King looked out from his throne room and saw the walls of his city crumble, his fists clenched together in helplessness and rage. "Why do you do these things? What have we ever done to you?" Kyreg turned and put a single bolt round into the King, the mass reactive bolter round detonating inside the King's ribcage and sending his corpse sprawling onto the floor. As the King died, his wife hurried to his side sobbing while his children cried and screamed, Kyreg paying them no mind as he gunned them down as well in precise bursts of his bolter before stalking off out of the palace, walking past corpses of guards and servants. No witnesses. Some bore deep stab marks in their vital organs, while others had bolter craters in their torsos, all mercilessly cut down with precise blade and bolter. A few others however, had white foam around their lips, their bodies twisted from the effects of the poison that had been distributed into the kitchen much earlier, Kyreg uncaring how the city state was paralyzed.

He would exit the palace, before reaching the flag pole where the blue and green flag of the city state was and lowered it, replacing it with a carefully folded up flag that held the Emperors Aquila over it, raising the Aquila high above the city state where everyone can see. Even the remaining defenders saw, and they began to surrender. The 566th advanced through the city gates along with the 1019th, less than a thousand of them remaining after the massive fight outside. Behind them advanced the command vehicles, the General smirking as he saw his promotion imminent as he had managed to take the city state. Large numbers of the Imperial Army soldiers were marshalling prisoners off to one side when from within the city gates walked out a single figure, a dusk blue armoured Astarte with blood and ash black burn marks all over his armour, walking forward slowly. They began to kneel one by one as one of the Emperors chosen walked past them, no doubt in the mortals mind at all of who was the cause of their victory. The General got out of his vehicle and saluted the figure, a large arrogant smile on his face.

"Ah Lord Astarte, I thank you for your assistance, although it was not required. My battle plan would have had the city in our grasp by nightfall. However you are more than welcome to be part of the victory parade I intend to hold in this city, so that every man, woman and child in this place shall know of the Emperors glory." The General held a fist in the air as he spoke, as if he was posing for a camera of some sort.

Kyreg looked at him for a moment before drawing his bolt pistol. "This was not the Emperors wishes. The Emperor would not wish for you to expend the lives of your entire army just to take one single city state. This was a catastrophe." The General was unsure of what to do or say, his honour guard hesitating right before Kyreg raised the bolt pistol and fired, the generals body falling to the ground as the brass shell was ejected from the bolt pistol. They looked at him in shock, and none dared to raise their weapon. 'The Emperor expects better than this. The Emperor expects victory, not a slaughter." He would begin to stalk away, walking past the kneeling soldiers towards where a single Stormeagle was landing, painted in the colours of dusk blue.

"Commander, we have the targets position." The vox message woke him up, Kyreg rising back up into wakefulness with the practiced ease of a veteran and acknowledged the message. "How long until we get to strike distance?" The reply came back swiftly, Centurion Maygis having returned to the bridge in order to command the pursuit. "The target has landed on planet, we will be in orbit to launch drop pods in one hour."

Kyreg was about to reply when the alert rang through the entire ship. "Multiple war entries, reading, Emperor protect us… multiple Word Bearer ships. At least three battle barges and five strike cruisers." Kyreg ran towards the bridge, sprinting even as he could hear orders for weapon systems to be powered up. "Full torpedo spread, fire all weapon platforms." Kyreg entered the bridge just in time to see a series of torpedoes strike against the shield of the Kilo Zeta. "We will only last at most fifteen minutes in this scenario, Commander." Maygis replied dryly, calm even as he saw more torpedoes incoming towards the ship. A loud click of power armour boots behind him informed him of the Lupi Titania's presence. "Order a retreat Centurion. And ready a single drop pod." Kyreg was about to turn when Maygis grabbed his arm and prevented him from leaving. "What is your intention Commander."

"My intention is to strike our target. And you are to take the ship and retreat, and repair the ship." Maygis paused before taking his hand away. "One drop pod, ready it." As Kyreg turned and began sprinting towards the drop pod, the Oblivion Knight followed him, sprinting at his heels. He turned his head and acknowledged their assistance before jumping into a drop pod and strapping himself in. The Sisters of Silence around him all did the same, their bolters held at the ready. The drop pod door was opened, and Kyreg looked up to see Sergeant Rythor and Sergeant Lefias who grunted at him. "You sure you want to do this Kyreg? We may not be able to return for you." Rythor asked even as he dumped crates of bolter ammunition down on the floor of the drop pod. "In my absence, Centurion Maygis is to be in charge. Make sure that is known." Rythor nodded while Lefias looked at the Commander and saluted him, his power armoured fist slammed against his breastplate. "May your Harrow be merciless." Kyreg returned the salute as Rythor shut the drop pod door, the Sisters around him reaching down and grabbing more ammunition even as the accelerator activated and the drop pod was fired down into the planet. Kyreg could still hear the orders given by Maygis, who ordered the bombardment cannon fired and the ship to give full energy to the engines. He closed his eyes as he felt the turbulence and he could make out the Kilo Zeta blow past the Word bearer's ships as the drop pod seared through the atmosphere and flew down towards the jungle canopies.

With a loud thud, the pod landed after punching a hole through the massive canopy of the thick jungle, landing next to a small settlement. The people who lived there looked out with curiosity at the drop pod, many grabbing rifles and the like and began heading towards it.

The doors opened, the firing mechanisms sending them tumbling onto the ground as Kyreg got out with his bolt rifle raised, the Sisters exiting behind him. As his autofocus adjusted itself, he could see the few dozen humans staring at him, a few with simple rifles that looked at him with puzzlement.


	23. Chapter 23

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 23_**

The civilians who surrounded him all looked at him with wonder, Kyreg clamping his stalker bolter at his side as he looked down at a man who walked in front of him and stared at him. "Are you the one that we have been praying for?" The man asked, cradling the solid slug hunting rifle in his arms. Kyreg shook his head. "No I am not. What have you been praying for?" The man slung the rifle over his shoulder and sighed gently. "Salvation, sir. Salvation from the creature that attacks our village, and eats us. We have tried to fight back but our rifles do nothing against its thick hide. All we can do is hide, and pray for it to feed quickly and leave." Kyreg nodded for a moment. "Who were you praying to?" The man looked at the Astarte as if he was an idiot. "The Emperor of course. We pray to him daily for salvation, for protection. We know that we are far from Terra but we hope that our words will reach him on the Golden Throne." The Sisters behind Kyreg all bowed their head at the mention of the Emperor. Kyreg merely grunted and walked towards the center of the village where he would stand, and waited. If it is a creature that preys on humans, it could be anything. It could be a tyranid strain or even a Kroot. The Sisters marched up and formed a line behind him but standing at least five feet away, there to guard his rear more than anything else.

As the sun set, the villagers began to move back into their homes, fires being put out as the light dimmed even further, especially in the thick foliage covered skies which seemed to shelter the lands from the brightest of lights. Soon steps could be heard coming towards the village, with occasional loud roars that seemed to resonate in ones ribcages, the sound producing pure terror to almost everyone. For the dusk blue armoured figure, his response was quite simple. He stood and he waited, this was to be a fight to show the village his might, to bring them onto his side. Without the necessary victory, they would not be useful to him. Win Hearts through courage, Win Minds through honour.

The creature approached, a six legged reptilian creature almost eight feet tall with three long necks, each head had a snake like appendage with rows of razor sharp fangs, hissing at Kyreg who faced his opponent without any reservation. All he did was to undo his helmet, and hold it out where one of the Sisters would take it as safeguard before he drew his power dagger. The creature attacked, his three heads each whipping their opened mauls towards the legionnaire, hoping to grab him to hold him in place while the other heads would rip him apart. However, Kyreg simply jumped onto the head that snapped at him and held on as it rear his head, roaring into the jungle. One hand gripping the back of the creature's neck, as he slammed the power dagger into the back of its skull. Thick black blood would pour out, hissing with toxins as he kept stabbing before that head would fall down towards the dirt floor. Leaping off, he would land on the creatures back, the remaining two heads roaring in pain and snapping at him again, one of them would actually grab him by the leg and picked him up. Kyreg held on, his power armour easily holding off the creatures fangs at bay before he would punch a ceramite fist into one of the creatures eye, the head roaring in annoyance and rage before dropping him down onto its back. Landing in a tight roll, Kyreg quickly rolled back onto his feet and charged the creatures head. As the center head lunged in again, he grabbed onto the back of its head tightly before stabbing the dagger through the creatures eye, the power dagger slicing through tissue and bone easily before ending up with the dagger point embedded in its brain. For the last one, Kyreg drew his phase sword and parried a lunging strike by the last remaining head, and swung down viciously, severing the creatures spine. As it fell down onto the ground, Kyreg would take a step back to give himself more thrusting room before stabbing it through the creatures heart, the tough scaled hide not even slowing down the deep stab of the weapon, the tip of the sword destroying the tissues in its heart.

As the creature would fall down towards the earth collapsing with a final roar from its throat, Kyreg leapt off the creatures back and rolled onto the ground, getting up and brushing off black blood and leaves from his power armour, his phase sword held high in front of him ready to strike again just in case the creature was not quite finish. With a few more thrashes, the creature collapsed on the ground, its blood draining out of the fatal thrust through its heart as it finally died. Kyreg grimaced a little as he walked towards the creature, his phase blade finally sheathed before placing a hand on the tough hide of the creature. A three headed scaled beast, almost like a hydra. If he was superstitious, he would see this planet as a sign. Perhaps it would be a sign that the planet should be taken over by the 8th. Of course none of this crossed his mind at the moment, although he would gesture for the Sisters to give him a hand as he would drag the creature back into the small settlement. The man from previous looked up at him in awe as he saw the creatures corpse killed and went down on a knee in front of Kyreg. "Truly you are whom we have prayed for." Kyreg shook his head and looked at the creature. "The Emperor protects. I would have your name."

"I am Evaristas of Delphi." Kyreg looked at the man for a moment. "And where is Delphi?" The man gestured towards west of the small village. "Delphi is the city which holds rule over this village. You are standing in the village of Sancretis, one of the six villages that surround Delphi." Kyreg nodded for a moment and re-oriented his map in his helmet, his tactical display revealing that Delphi was about two hours away by vehicle and there were six settlements around it, listed as less than one thousand people and therefore not named, only given coordinates. "Very well. Have the creature skinned, I wish for its hide to be taken as a trophy." Evaristas bowed in assent before Kyreg turned and tilted his head slightly towards Catriona. She stepped forward and he would point towards the city. "I don't think the target is the city, Sister. I believe there is something else on this planet that we must look into before we can plot a specific route towards anything." She nodded in agreement and looked around at the village. "I think it's best that we leave this place at once and make camp in the thick jungles. We cannot trust that the village does not have eyes."

 _Inquisition Prison 4993_

The Word Bearer Thunderhawks touched down over the large obsidian structure, a massive cylindrical building three stories high but with multiple levels underground. Camouflaged anti-aircraft weapon systems were firing on full auto, the Hydra Flak tanks launching a steady stream of autocannon rounds from their quad barrelled turrets. The Thunderhawks shrugged it off easily, it's deadly payload being offloaded and forming a firing line who opened fire. The crimson coloured chaos space marines unloaded bolter shells as well as rockets into the positions around the facility manned by black uniformed Inquisitional Scions, each armed with hotshot las rifles as well as a well-rounded mixture of plasma cannons and heavy bolters set into sand bagged trenches and other defensive positions. One by one, the Hydra Flak tanks were destroyed, rockets turning the armoured vehicles into burning wreckages of twisted metal and burnt flesh.

Iconoclast Nusku looked with satisfaction as the first layer of defences was destroyed, his elite Octaivan troops advancing steadily with bolters smoking. He had been tasked by the Ashfanged to create a bridgehead and destroy the defences set here, and he would follow the order as if it came from the blessed lips of Lorgar himself. Behind him advanced a steady stream of human troops, the Severagn who were the devoted mortal troops of the Ashwarped. With a gesture, rockets and grenades impacted against the buildings main door, blowing it wide open in bright blasts of explosions as well as the beams of return fire from inside. With a steadfast coldness, the Severagn advanced into the building in well drilled and disciplined units that began to pour on steady fire on the Inquisitional Scions still inside the building. Hotshot las bolts seared off limbs and struck right through the steel plates of the body armour that the Severagn troops wore, but they still advanced. In grey gas masks and crimson helmets, the grey uniformed cultists kept advancing as they poured on fire into the Scion positions who began to fall back bit by bit. With a roar, bayonets were fixed as cultists began surging into the Inquisitional Scion positions. While the Scions were skilled in deadly head to hand combat, as well being the elite of the Inquisitions human troops, they were no match for the sheer numbers and the insane devotion of the mortal cultists. With cries of worship to the four ruinous powers, bayonets were rammed through the soft spots on the sides of the Scions who stood fast and provided the rear guard, numbers began to take their toll.

Soon the last member of the rear guard fell, a bayonet rammed through the soft spot of his throat, the blade slide in as numerous cultists held the Tempestus Scion down who screamed his last words of hate towards the invaders while the cultist officer slowly and carefully pushed the blade through, twisting it in a sickening crunch as blood vessels and cartilages were destroyed. They would begin to advance even further until the loud roar of bolter fire detonated amongst the advancing first ranks. Clad in red armour, Sergeant Denhigh raised his chainsword forward as the nine Astartes behind him advanced with bolters, plasma guns and heavy bolters firing steadily into the human ranks. The Exorcist Marines advanced steadily, their weapons blaring as casings steadily hit the ground. Reloading swiftly and with the practiced ease of veterans, the ten Marines locked their weapons onto their armours, with the exception of the Marine carrying the heavy bolter and chainswords were drawn, revving as they charged. It was in that instant that it was shown just why Astartes were superior to mortal troops in every which way as blood sprayed over the walls and the floors. The revving razor sharp fangs of the chainswords cut through flesh and bone, sending body parts sprawling over the floor. Sergeant Denhigh grabbed a cultist officer and lifted him up by his throat before crushing his armoured gauntlet over the man's throat, dropping his corpse onto the ground even as he swung with his right arm and sent his chainsword slashing through the now retreating ranks of the cultist troops.

Even as the cultists retreated, the Astartes of Kaliver squad kept advancing relentlessly, their counter attack pushing the invading chaos worshippers back all the way to the hole they had blown through the main door. Some fired back, their las bolts doing little more than leaving small miniscule burn marks on the red armour of the Exorcists who stepped outside to see Nusku and his Octaivan troops. The two groups of Astartes looked at each other for a moment before the both sides opened fire. Bolter shells detonated against power armour as the two ceramite armoured squads clashed, the human troops both Scion and Severagn retreating away from the firefight between the two groups of Astartes but even the Exorcists were forced to retreat back slowly as more Word Bearers landed behind the Octaivan. The raptors shrieked into the air as they advanced beside the Octaivan, their flamers pouring long streams of burning promethium towards the loyalist Astartes. While their heavy bolter gunner returned fire and took down quite a few of the chaos assault marines, the combined fire began to take its toll as two of the red armoured giants fell to the ground dead, their helmets blown apart by bolter rounds and plasma blasts. Nusku grinned underneath his helmet and ordered a charge, the axe rakes of the Octaivan elite chaos marines revving as the Exorcists were forced to stop and hold the line to stop their advance. Razor sharp teeth bit into ceramite or slammed into the teeth of a revving loyalist chainsword but while the Exorcists were all veteran Astartes, they were unable to hold against the combined assault of the Octaivan and the Word Bearer Raptors who took cruel delight in attaching a melta bomb to Sergeant Denhigh before detonating it, turning the veteran Sergeant into a burst of ash and chunks of ceramite clattering against the wall. With a loud shriek of victory, the Huntmaster activated his jetpack along with the rest of the Raptors who screamed down the main entrance as they poured flames onto retreating Scions as well as cut apart any mortals they saw.

Etanes dismounted the Thunderhawk along with two more squads of his Word Bearers and they began to make their way down, deep into the prison hold of the Inquisition facility. They were here for someone specific, and Etanes would not be denied. With the hard clack of his ceramite boots stepping further in while the Octaivan formed around him with their bolters drawn, he followed the trail of destruction and blood, bits and pieces of the mortal troops who guarded the facility mapping the way down to the room he sought.

Soon enough he arrived at a massive door at least one foot thick, Huntmaster Heydar impatiently circling around the entrance, his clawed boots clicking on the tiles with a predatory menace. "This door has been sealed against us Ashfanged one." He hissed out in displeasure even as the Raptors around him all hissed out at having been denied the opportunity to hunt more. Etanes simply raised a hand and then gestured for the two squads he brought to advance forward. The two squad bore the insignia of former Destroyers of the XVII Legion, their weapons bore the signs of rust even as their armour oozed sickly body fluids filled with disease, their armours bloated with rust and disease. Their drum fed rocket launchers in their hands letting out brief spouts of a pungent green smoke, the Raptors stepped back with disgust while Etanes gestured for the squads to continue. With a sickening gurgling sound, the rocket launchers fired, the projectiles detonating against the walls with a wet thud instead of the explosion normally expected from the rockets, the payload hissing as it started to eat through the metal while rust formed quickly around the impact areas. Their payloads expanded, they would step back and reload while Etanes sent a blast of warp fire through the now rotten rust panels that used to be the doors, the doors flying in wards in pieces of diseased rust. As soon as the door was opened, a punishing fusillade of plasma fire and autocannon fire ripped through three of the Raptors who were too eager to hunt. An Inquisitor stood in side with power armour on while all around him were Scion heavy weapon troops who unloaded through the opening made by the Nurgle worshipping destroyers. The three Raptors exploded as they were turned into a bloody pulp while Etanes simply chuckled with amusement. With a loud screech, Heydar fired his jet pack in along with the rest of his Raptors, the warp corrupted assault marines landing amidst the Scions and opened up with their flame throwers, the flames torching through the mortal lines in just moments while the Inquisitor roared and fired the stormbolter in his hand at the Huntmaster. Dodging the bolt rounds easily, Heydar swooped down and placed the barrel of his flamethrower right against the Inquisitors temple and pulled the trigger, the gust of superheated flames roasting the Inquisitors brain almost instantly, the power armoured Inquisitional agent dropping to the ground with a loud clang. The moment it landed on the ground, the Raptors began ripping off pieces of power armour and began feasting on the body inside.

Etanes ignored the spectacle and instead advanced to the last cell there, a cell in which a chained and bonded Astarte in the middle with four automatic heavy bolters surrounding him, ready to fire the instant psyker powers were detected. He gestured for the prisoner to be released, the mortal troops taking over the command console and releasing the bonds on the sorcerer caged inside.

The Sorcerer would get up and stepped out of the firing line of the heavy bolters and with a single movement of his hand, he conjured up lava hot warp fire and torched the automated heavy bolter systems before turning towards his saviour.

"I am Ashakhet of the XV legion and I would like to know which one of you decided to rescue me." He wore no armour, just a simple grey robe around his body even as his skin glowed with eldritch powers, various runes and symbols on his skin glowing a soft green light. Etanes stepped forward, his ornate armour glistening in the dim lighting of the underground prison and took his helmet off, presenting his face tattooed with words from the Book of Lorgar. "I am Etanes the Ashfanged. And I have freed you to make you a bargain." The Sorcerer looked at the Word Bearer with interest and laughed for a moment. "How righteous it is to be freed by those of the XVII." Etanes grinned slightly, revealing the sharpened teeth in his mouth. "We seek the Crow Gem." Ashakhet looked at him and nodded for a moment. "Yes you seek to use it in order to collect souls, do you not?" The Word Bearer Dark Apostle nodded, and gestured to those around him. "Then in that case, I want in return first for you to return me my armour and my weapons. Second, I wish before I unlock its secrets for you, that you help me with my goal."

"What is your goal then Sorcerer?" Ashakhet smiled at the question, knowing that without him there was no way for them to achieve their goal. "My goal is to recover something that was once lost to me. It is where the Crow Gem is hidden, but you must assist me first." Etanes nodded in agreement. "So be it Sorcerer. We have a deal." Ashakhet grinned and exited the room, Etanes giving a small gesture and the Chaos Astartes would follow him, the Sorcerer humming to himself as he would gather up pulses of warp energy until he created enough to collect a small ball of it. He would toss it and utter a few words of power, the ball rolling through and leaving a path of purple that he would follow. Occasionally, they would encounter a counter attack by the remaining Scions of the Inquisitional Facility but they were swiftly put down by the Word Bearers with bolter fire or chainswords.

They would stop at the end of a hall way surrounded by the dead bodies of Inquisition agents and Scions, the brushed steel door holding runes of purity all over it. The purity seals lasted about ten seconds as Ashakhet torched it with wych fire, the steel melting down in moments before the Sorcerer would step right through. In there were stasis fields holding various equipment and gear from chaos marines captured in the past. The Thousand Son sorcerer would walk up to a stasis field holding his gear in place and smiled thinly as he began to cast. Four minutes later, a large blast of purple lined blackness blasted apart the stasis field, his gear dropping to the floor. With his mouth uttering words and still humming, he quickly placed himself back into the armour, various clicks could be heard from the armour as he used his sorcery to armour himself. Finally, a long thin blade was clamped to his leg as well as a bolt pistol with the face of a daemon that seemed to move around the bolt pistol in rage was also clamped to his side. Then finally, he picked up a staff and a book that seemed to be locked, the book being attached to his side through a rather ornate brass chain. "Very well, I believe that I am ready to depart." The chaos intruder force would head back upstairs to the main level, although the scene was very different from when they had entered. Outside it seemed that their forces had come under heavy fire, the Severagn mortal troops of the Ashwarped war band hiding behind cover as the emergency signal had been sent. Around them were surrounded by hundreds of mortal soldiers of the Inquisition, black uniformed Scions who had reacted to the attack by arriving in Inquisition marked Chimeras and were firing into the defensive positions.

Etanes looked at the mortal troops with annoyance, and looked at Nusku who bowed his head at the silent command. "Octaivan. For Lorgar and the Ashfanged, kill them all!" Axe rakes revved as the elite troops broke cover, their bolters pulverising the carapace armour of the Stormtroopers even as the Raptors Huntmaster soared over their firing lines and descended with chainswords buzzing through flesh, bone and carapace. True to the nature of the Raptors, they began to feast as soon as they had cut down the majority of the Stormtroopers, while the Octaivan moved in with flamethrowers and torched the rest of the surviving Inquisitorial troops. Etanes nodded at the attack of his chosen elite, and grinned as he clipped his helmet back on and gestured for the Sorcerer to head onto the Thunderhawk. Etanes knew that his work was not yet done on this planet, as his spy still had much work to do.

The attack on the facility had not gone unnoticed, especially as after an entire day, there had been no report sent back. Something was judged to have happened to the force stationed there as well as the Astarte squad that stood guard in the facility, and so the multiple wheels and cogs of the Imperium began turning. Priority Vermillion communiques were sent, documents with specific protocol formats were dispatched and multiple offices were alerted as to the strange occurrence. Signals began being sent, although this took a while to reach the right individuals. Soon units were alerted, and those with a vested interest in the facility began to become aware of just what had happened.

The man hummed as he walked down the street, grinning like an idiot at the street stalls as well as the various restaurants in the area. Looking over the selection on display, he picked out a commonly eaten bowl choice and the street vendor nodded, and began searing greasy meat on the metal griddle. With his hands in his pocket, the man looked around as he kept humming, before handing some coins to the vendor as he accepted the Styrofoam bowl of meat and brown sauce ladled over some chopped up vegetables and root vegetables. Sitting himself on a nearby step, he would hum as he tasted the overly salted bowl, although it didn't seem to dampen his spirit much as he began to eat with obvious relish. After his meal, he would check his watch and nod a few times while his foot began to tap impatiently before a large explosion rocked the nearby Arbites precinct. With a smile, he would stand up and slice the palms of his hands with a thin scalpel like blade before holding his hands up, warp fire dripping from the self-inflicted wounds on his palm as he gestured and sent purple warp flame torching over the densely packed street filled with hungry workers and civilians looking to pick out their lunch. Gunfire could be heard, as the loud clack and booms of the Arbite shotguns as well as the higher pitched tone of auto rifles being fired on full auto.

Mikhail looked at the carnage he caused and let out a loud chuckle as further down the street, a mob of screaming civilians ran from the armed group of soldiers who began to fire into the crowd, their dark red helmets and grey uniforms marking them out as members of the Severagn, their bayonets stabbing into unprotected flesh while behind them ran the more undisciplined and less equipped cultists who cut down surviving Arbites with crude blades and auto guns in undisciplined bursts, cackling all the while. He looked around and nodded as he drew the auto pistol he had hidden on him and began firing into survivors, their blood mingling and pooling around the plastic lawn furniture that was used to eat from. Closing his eyes, he would let the warp wash through his body and his mind before with a loud scream, portals were ripped open and daemons poured through the streets. He had been ordered by his master to destroy the Arbite building and bring daemons onto the streets, and that is what he was going to do.

The screams however could be heard by the figures hidden over the roof top, Kyreg looking through the scope of his stalker bolter and frowned underneath his helmet. "Daemons. They bring them onto this realm, and it appears the main Imperial influence in the city is waning with each second." Catriona nodded, but she smiled slightly even as she slipped her helmet on. "You do not know the true talents of my kind do you Commander?" Kyreg looked at her with slight annoyance on his features although his helmet showed none of it. "We are Oblivion Knights, Commander. That means we are the one thing in the world that daemons truly show fear at." With a loud laugh, she would leap down from the roof top along with the other Sisters and loaded their bolters with drum magazines, and began advancing down the street. Kyreg swore and quickly adjusted his holographic display over his power armour to show Blackshield markings, just pure black armour all around with no markings except for the Aquila on his breastplate.

The daemons saw the four Sisters and with loud howls, they began to advance. However as they got closer, they stopped and hissed, the Sisters reaching up and deactivating the limiter collar on their armour and opened fire. While normally impervious to common bolter fire, within the radius of the four null sisters, their flesh exploded under the disciplined fire of the four warriors. Kyreg shouldered his stalker bolter and moved behind them, his keen eye picking out various squad leaders amongst the human troops while at the same time, he would trigger his under barrel melta point blank into a snarling daemon, the bird like creature disappearing and melting into almost nothingness. As they got to the portals, they snapped shut, their warp presence completely nullified by the four warriors while Mikhail screamed and placed his hands on his head, his mind burning as it was suddenly turned off while the Sisters looked at him. Liadain drew her Charnabal blade and was about to slice his head off when Kyreg stopped her. "We must learn more about why they are here. I will deal with him." The Sister nodded and sheathed her blade, shouldering her bolter again as the four sisters now fired into the cultist line while advancing steadily. Satisfied that they would not see him, Kyreg reached down and ripped the traitors skull off his head, Mikhail screaming in pain both physical as well as psychic before Kyreg silenced him with a sickening crunch. With his mouth full of brain matter, he swallowed it with disgust before closing his eyes and felt the traitors memory swarm into his mind. It was utter chaos and madness but he soon found what he was looking for. There were more coming, much more Chaos troops. This planet was going to be invaded, and they wished to force the Imperium to devote more strength here.

With a heavy sigh, he stood up and left the traitors body there, thumping his melta and melting the body down in a pile of melted bone and ash. He quickly got up and rushed to behind the Sisters who were devastating the Chaos cultist troops with their bolter fire.

"We need to get into that Arbites building right now." He would tell them over the vox even as he drew his phase blade. With a curt nod, they began to direct their fire and stitched their bolter fire into the enemy formation, although it seemed that two of the sisters had clamped their bolters onto their power armour with a loud click while withdrawing hand held flamers that began to pour liquid flames into the masses, melting those closest to the flames while torching those that remained behind the main battle lines.

Kyreg charged through the small crowd with his blade drawn and sliced through the first row of cultists busy looting Arbite bodies for their shotguns and bolt pistols before a loud clang alerted him to the presence of a cultist who had successfully commandeered an Arbite shotgun, the pellets bouncing off his power armour with the sound of the pellets hitting his armour more annoying than the actual threat of the buckshot. With a quick swing, his blade sliced through the cultists skull, sending the body tumbling down even as he advanced until he came to what he was looking for.

"You, cowering underneath. I need you to send a message to the closest Arbite station to here. Tell them to send everyone." He hissed before standing back up to wade into the cultists caught between him and the Sisters of Silence. The man nodded, to his credit and scrambled onto the comm rig at another desk and began punching in numbers. Kyreg felt his blade cut through bone and flesh as if they were less than gelatin, the blade making quick work even of the armoured cultists who tried to bog him down in a protracted fight with blades, but a quick woosh of a flamer turned them into ash and melted organic matter dripping onto the ground.

"They're going to head off planet. They were going to attack an Inquisition facility hidden here; although now it might be too late to stop them we must follow them." He ordered them quickly, the Sisters nodding as they began to retreat steadily through fire and movement. Kyreg sheathed his blade and picked up his bolter again, and began firing into the devastated cultists. Most of them laid on the ground with burn marks from the flame throwers as well as many were injured by the Sisters. Those who lay on the floor without life bore marks of point blank bolt round detonation or bodies devastated by blade.

Vengeance had been satisfied, and of course Kyreg was glad for a successful death strike. At the same time however, he had seen what was planned after he ate the traitor's brain. It was something that must be stopped no matter the consequence, especially when he thought of the potential that a gem that could collect souls would do for the Word Bearers. It seemed that he was going to have to find a way to follow the traitors further until he could put a blade through their plans.


	24. Chapter 24

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 24_**

Etanes grunted with disappointment as he took a look at the streets turned battlefield. It seemed that the Arbiters had been underestimated as hundreds of them now swarmed where his spy had deigned to execute his plans. It also seems that the mortal had perished, although that was of little loss to him; he was simply a means to an end. Of course his plan had perished along with the mortal, to keep the Imperium occupied by inducing chaos on the planet and forcing an Imperial presence on the planet for at least a few solar years. Of course now as well, the Inquisition just may investigate further to see what had been taken from the facility they had attacked. It had taken years for his spy to find the information for him, although it was at least something he was able to accomplish before his death.

The Sorcerer had remained quiet throughout the trip, simply consulting the tome which was secured to his power armour through the brass chain, nodding every so often while flipping through the pages. It meant little to the Word Bearer though, after all his goal would coincide with that of the Thousand Son. The Sorcerer smiled every so often as he read one of his tomes while Etanes gave a small gesture, before the heavy weapon chaos marines stepped forward and opened up from the ramp, heavy bolters and plasma cannons howling as the streets were covered with blood and gore, while Arbiters were ripped apart by the savage havoc marines, who screamed their devotion out to their dark gods even as they reaped bloody sacrifice. Etanes nodded just once, before the Thunderhawk would start taking off for the skies, heading towards the massive Word Bearer Fleet that awaited in orbit.

Kyreg and the Lupi Titania stepped onto the aerodrome grounds, the guards stepping aside without any words of challenge; few mortals would step in front of a Space Marine and four obvious Sisters of Battle. His practiced eye would appraise the crafts that stood there, knowing that he needed to find something capable of warp travel. His eyes would settle on a sleek vessel, toting firepower on it as opposed to the unarmed variants he had seen so far and walked closer to it, being stopped politely by soldier in a dark blue uniform with blood red trim. "Pardon me Lord, but this vessel belongs to the Rogue Trader Captain Hinrich." Kyreg looked at the soldier who gulped visibly as he eyed the Astarte, his Sisters of Battle bodyguards standing behind him with bolters raised clearly affecting the manner which he performed his duties. "I'm sorry sir but this uh.. I need clarification from my commanders." Kyreg gestured for the soldier to do so, the soldier speaking for a few moments on a microbead attached to his left ear. "Lord, the Captain has asked to speak with you, and wish for you to board so that he may meet you in orbit."

With a nod, Kyreg stepped onto the gunship along with his bodyguard, and looked around. While it was relatively ornate compared to any assault gunships he had ever seen, it was all done in a practical manner. There were compartments underneath the seats, as well as various straps and webbings to not only attach cargo to but also for troops to hold on to during assaults and landings. He was impressed; most rogue traders focused too much on the more ornate and often forgot it seemed, about the practical aspects of their equipment. The pilot was rather excellent, lifting up quite smoothly before the gunship began to head into orbit. A slight buzz of electronics and a shudder signalled the activation of a stealth shield of some kind, further adding to the thoroughness of the Rogue Trader in question.

They would fly into orbit, seemingly ignored by the Word Bearer Fleet as the cloaking held up to the auspexes of the various chaos vessels that were in orbit around the planet of Teletyr II. In a few moments however, a small black section would open up and the gunship flew right in. It seems that the entire ship was cloaked as well, and it just might work to Kyreg's advantage. The ship would dock gently, the skill of the pilot once again being demonstrated as he touched down with barely a sound and the rear hatch of the gunship would open. Kyreg would step down, having remained standing on board the entire time as none of the seats on board would have been for his size. As he stepped off, he would see a man standing about fifty feet away dressed in a dark blue cloak of the same colour as the soldiers that lined the path to him, all armed with las carbines with bayonets fixed, their weapons held in the present arms order. The man had a long angular face with a neatly trimmed mustache of blonde with hints of white. His hair was cut close, shaven sides with the hair on his scalp kept long, in a small braid that rested behind him. He wore a naval uniform, with gold and blood red trimmings, a large revolver in a holster casually at his right side and a saber at his left. Beside him stood an attractive woman, in a uniform that fit her figure perfectly it seemed but she wore knee high mirror shined leather boots with a plasma pistol holstered at her side, her brunette hair cut into a short practical bob. Behind them was a heavily built man that appeared almost bald if not for the millimetre long black hair in a narrow strip that covered just the top of his head. The shotgun in his hand was held in a more practical fashion, the muzzle brake at the end signifying perhaps just what sort of calibre the weapon was sized for.

As soon as Kyreg's left foot stepped off the ramp and clicked onto the polished plasteel flooring, the soldiers all snapped to attention. Seeing the ceremonial lay out of their welcome, Catriona gave a quick command over the vox, the Sisters snapping their bolters to the shoulder arm position as the Astartes Commander stepped off. Kyreg took careful measured steps, stopping almost exactly four feet from the man whom he towered over, and the man would offer him a salute in the sign of the Aquila. Kyreg returned it as such and bowed his head slightly.

"I welcome you Space Marine. I am Captain Albert Hinrich, Rogue Trader with a Warrant of Trade signed by the High Lords of Terra." The man bowed as he said so, as did his lieutenant and his bodyguard behind him. Kyreg nodded and took off his helmet, locking it at his side as a sign of non-hostility. "I am Vignir, Blackshield Astarte. These are my bodyguards the Lupi Titania, my Battle Sister bodyguards. I require your assistance to stop the madness that has brought these Word Bearer traitors to the planet." Albert looked at him, a slight tic making it obvious on the corner of this right eye, his intentions perhaps misjudged. "Lord, I serve the High Lords at their pleasure, and I gladly give service onto a Space marine with a noble cause. However, I do not believe that my ship has the capacity to take on the entire Chaos fleet.." Kyreg chuckled slightly, earning a slight glare from the Rogue Traders bodyguard while the Lieutenant beside him stiffened just slightly. "You misunderstand me Captain. I have no intention of fighting the traitor fleet. I just wish to go to their objective before they can get there." The Commanders words seemed to relax the Captain as well as his first officers. "Forgive then Lord for misunderstanding. Perhaps we can better discuss this in the war room?" With a hand raised towards the hall that lead away from the docking area, the Captain gestured for Kyreg and his retinue to follow as he lead the way. After a few minutes of weaving through, with Kyreg noting that the bodyguard bore the ranks of an Imperial Navy Warrant Officer as well as his almost parade ground steps as he followed the Rogue Trader, they arrived in a fairly large spacious room with a large granite desk set in the middle. "I apologize, I do not believe if I have a seat that would fit an Astarte, my Lord. Please forgive my lack of foresight." The Captain stated smoothly as he bowed, Kyreg waving his hand at such words. "I have not yet met a mortal vessel that was capable of producing chairs large enough for me. Now then, let me inform you of what is required and what the Word Bearers intend to do."

The others took a seat around the table, except for Kyreg and the Sisters who chose to stand. Kyreg out of circumstance, while the Sisters chose to stand at attention behind him so as to provide a show of force. "I seek to travel to the planet of Jarskarr, where on its small satellite planet exists ruins that perhaps may be of xenos origin. In the ruins is a small cave system, where an artifact rests. I must get to the artifact, destroy it if I have to in order to deny it to the Word Bearers. That is the most straight forward version of the story." The others at the table murmured at the news, while Albert leaned forward with intrigue. "And why do the Word Bearers wish for such an artifact? Is it a xenos artifact? Or Chaos artifact? If it is a Chaos artifact, it must be destroyed. But a xenos artifact… perhaps study is in order of it?"

Kyreg shook his head. "I do not know which it is. Regardless of whether it is xenos or Chaos, it will be destroyed. It must be. It is a device that is capable of storing souls, Captain. That is not something to be studied or trifled with." Albert leaned back, hissing slightly at the mention of its purpose. "That is not a device that should be played with, no. That is a device that should be destroyed from orbit." Kyreg nodded in agreement. "However its destruction must be confirmed. I think everyone in this room can understand just what would happen if one of the most devoted worshippers of the Chaos were to get their hands on an object that would allow them to collect souls at the time of sacrifice." He looked around the room, noting the reaction of the Captains retinue. The Lieutenant had a look of utter disgust at the mention of such an artifact while the Warrant Officer only seemed to scowl a bit further. "Very well, we will assist you in such a matter. I believe that my Warrant of Trade further obligates me to assist you." Kyreg bowed his head slightly. "You have my thanks Captain." The Captain would pick up a data slate, looking through it quickly before handing it over to Kyreg. "I believe these quarters shall prove sufficient to you and your staff?" It was a map that showed a set of quarters closer to the bridge, Kyreg nodding as he examined them. "Very well then, I will have you shown to your quarters. Please, come join me for dinner after you have settled in."

A patrol of the Rogue Traders soldiers would show up at the door and bowed deeply towards the Astarte, who along with the Sisters, would follow them down the hallways until they arrived at the rooms. Kyreg was given a room to himself while the Sisters were bunked two by two right across the hall. Kyreg looked around the room, it had a platform bed that seemed to be much richer than the type he was used to, the mattress covered in a silk mattress cover while the pillow was of a luxurious purple fabric that was richly gilded with silver lacing. He chuckled slightly as he examined the rest of the room, his eyes resting on a desk and a chair that of course would not fit him. He simply shrugged before exiting the room to find that the Sisters had only peaked in before standing back out again. "I thank you for your vigilance, Sisters. Please, go find yourself a meal and some rest, I know your metabolisms are not the same as mine." Catriona cracked a rather humours grin. "Thank you for your concern _Vignir_ , we will return here should you need us after." Kyreg chuckled and began walking towards the bridge, where a uniformed stewardess with white gloves would bow lowly to him before gesturing for him to follow. "Please Lord, the Captain has had a dining room prepared for the two of you and wishes to converse." Kyreg followed him further up, taking a set of elevators that went to the tenth floor where they would disembark. This level of the ship had polished granite floors, and brushed steel walls decorated with various artifacts. He would stop in front of a well-kept Crusade pattern bolter, smiling at the insignia of the IX Legion on the golden gilded bolter. He would walk past it and looked at an alien blade that rested in a display case that he was sure contained a rather potent stasis field, a drop of blue toxin resting just on the tip of the blade. Kyreg smiled at the weapon, knowing exactly what race it had been taken off of and just how much trouble the Rogue Trader might be in if certain elements of the Inquisition were to see that.

The room opened for him, two blue uniformed guards armed with more sensible combat shotguns for the enclosed interior of the ship who bowed at him as he walked in, returning their greetings with a nod before the door was closed behind him, the two guards remaining outside to prevent others from intruding on those in the room. Inside was a richly decorated room, with rare nalwood decorating the interior of the walls while gold leaf trim lined the base board and the ceiling. There was an enclosed fireplace that gave off heat and burned on logs deposited in automatically by machinery while preventing any smoke from entering the actual room itself. In front of it were the pelts of animals from different parts of the world that had been hunted successfully. To the Legionnaire Commander, it meant very little. It was easy to kill an animal with the right firepower but to truly prove oneself as a hunter, it had to be done with blade and nothing else. Albert sat at the end of a long beautifully engraved wooden banquet table, where large throne seats were available for him, while crystal glasses were placed according to the high protocol that such a dining environment required. As Kyreg walked to sit down at the next available seat just to the right of Albert, the Rogue Trader stood up and presented a bow. "Thank you for the honour of dining with me, Lord. I think that we have much to discuss. I believe from my end, that I have many things I wish to ask." Kyreg tilted his head and nodded slightly as he sat down, Albert doing the same and a white jacketed stewardess would lean forward and filled all four glasses in front of the two. One glass was filled with a rich amber amasec, another with a soft sweet beverage. One of the less ornate yet still very elegant crystal glasses was filled with ice cold water, and the last glass was filled with a deep rich red wine.

Kyreg smiled and picked up the glass of amasec with an armoured gauntlet with a gracefulness that spoke measures of his experience and demonstrated the precision he was capable of as the tiny glass looked out of place in his massive gauntlet. Albert toasted him and the two took light sips from the glass. He could taste various hints of ginger, soft vanilla, and an underlying hint of blackcurrant. The alcohol was neutralised immediately by his enhanced Astarte system but he could appreciate it for what it was. "I am most curious, Lord. Why do you go around as a Blackshield? Do you not worry about the Inquisition?" Kyreg thought about his question as he placed down the empty glass delicately. "Let me answer that question at the end of dinner. I promise you I will enlighten you." Albert smiled and took a sip from his water glass. "I can appreciate secrets, Lord. As you can guess surely, I have quite a few of my own." Kyreg chuckled as the first course was brought out to him, devilfish medallions seared lightly on each side with tasteful seasoning and a savoury wine sauce. Albert dug in with obvious relish while Kyreg tasted it slightly; the portion set for him was frankly enough food for the rest of the journey. However he still cut off a few pieces out of politeness more than a frank desire to eat.

"Tell me something Captain, the xenos sword displayed outside. Do you not worry about the Inquisition?" Albert daintily dabbled his lips with a clean white linen towelette and smiled. "To be honest, I do and I do not. I worry about the Inquisition seizing it, as I know they are more likely to take it as their own treasure and deny me a symbol of my victory. However I do not worry, as it is the Inquisition. They can have me killed just because their ploin juice was too sour, so I see no point in being overly worried about such a thing." Kyreg laughed lightly as he took a sip of the wine. It had spicy undertones with a rich fruit bouquet, something that made him recall something as he looked at the glass.

"Something wrong with the wine, Lord?" Albert cocked his head as he looked at him curiously. "No. Where did you get this wine?" The Rogue Trader closed his eyes for a moment. "I believe from a planet called Lanssten IV. Why do you ask?"

 _The garrison there drank from the nobleman's gifts, casks of rich fine wine that the planet was well known for. The fight against the Imperials could wait a night, after all they were far from the front lines and their brethren in the 19th Infantry Division were holding up the lines. The troops there drank heartily that night, feasting on mountains of roast meat. They had held the invaders so far, the Imperials unable to break through their lines due to the Lanssten Heavy Regiment liberal use of multi-barrel auto-cannons that have held at bay their mass infantry assaults so far. In the morning, the men rose and resumed to the front, being trucked back to relieve their tired but still standing brethren, jokes and tobacco tubes being exchanged, their spirits high. Soon, another Imperial attack happened, and the auto-cannons began firing. However, as the powder fumes filled the front lines, it reacted with something in their blood, something ingested the night before and the men started dying by the hundreds. An hour later, the Imperials walked into trenches empty of life, the last soldier choking on his own blood as his blood clotting abilities disappeared completely, drowning in his own blood as blood vessels popped. The entire Imperial Army gathered simply pushed through, and onto the unprotected vulnerable cities beyond the battle lines, a single Astarte in dusk blue armour standing in the capital as the High General was arrested at gunpoint by his very own Royal Lanssten Guard regiment, each of the men casually scratching at a section on their ribs, where underneath their uniforms and body armour was a small tattoo of a green hydra._

"Just memories, Captain. Just reminded me of something from a long time ago." Kyreg replied, smiling slightly as he remembered Compliance 553, one of his first tasks as the Captain of the 8th's elite Stealth Company. Albert nodded, slightly confused before the second course as brought in. Fresh peppers, and tomatoes diced in a nice piquant dressing resting on a small bed of root vegetables that had been baked at a high temperature quickly. The Astarte tasted it, and smiled. This one was quite simple but pleasant, something that reminded him of Tyven V for some reason. "I do not blame you for what you may have in your armouries or even your ship Captain. Imperial technology is fine for the Imperial Guard and those that serve in its ranks but as we both know, those with specific missions often must utilize more than just Martian las rifles and bolters." Kyreg sent out the bait, lightly probing at the Rogue Trader as he knew that like Inquisitors, Rogue Traders often had weapons in their disposal that would be deemed heresy if they were in the hands of someone lesser placed. "Albert smiled quickly, although he tried to maintain a neutral expression. It would have been enough to fool anyone else but as a veteran of the XX Legion, Kyreg was used to deceit. "I believe Lord, that Imperial Technology is excellent. However, sometimes needs dictate, especially in my role when I am in a place lacking any Imperial outpost that may assist me.."

Kyreg leaned forward at the Captain and smiled thinly, presenting a threatening face. "Is that why you have a Tau shielding cloak on your ship, Captain? That is something that I believe was traded for and installed by a member of their Earth Caste, I must imagine. Something taken voluntarily, was it not?" Albert paled for a moment before taking a large gulp of his refilled amasec glass. Even the white jacketed steward looked slightly concerned. "I, uh. Well it was necessary at the time Lord.. sometimes those of us with a Writ of Trade must do what needs dictate at the time.." Kyreg laughed and leaned back in his massive throne chair. "Relax Captain, I happen to agree with you. Tau stealth technology is decades ahead of Imperial cloaking devices. Even my brethren must rely on out dated technology of cameoline if they choose that path. Just ask the Raven Guard and their successors what they must do in order to ensure silence in their missions." Albert sat back and laughed nervously, his hand clutching the glass harder with tension. "I am not a purist, Captain. I do not intend to execute you or throw you to the Inquisition for equipping yourself with the best tools for the job."

The third course was brought, a light delicate avian broth with small chunks of meat and onions with small fish eggs floating on top. Kyreg looked at the dish and lightly took a small spoon of it as Albert picked at the fish eggs and ate them with relish. "I wish to make this clear Captain. I will shoot you, if you hold back what assets you have because you think there will be ramifications from me. We are going up against the Word Bearers, a group of traitors that still remain organised and resolute in their beliefs. They are just as dangerous as any loyal Astartes. They will not finick the way that others might, or chase after easier targets." Albert gulped a little and nodded. "I am glad you feel that way. In truth, my Writ was given to me as punishment. The men with me today, they are former members of a regiment I used to command. The Writ was offered to me as the alternative to being taken prisoner by the Inquisition. Forcing my hand, I had no choice but to do so." Kyreg looked at the man with surprise in his mind but his features remained neutral.

"Tell me of why you and your men were in that situation." Albert looked at the Astarte for a second and then sighed, before emptying the glass of amasec beside his plate. "We were entrenched, and we had no real way of fighting back against the enemy. The Tau had their long range snipers engage my men at any moment. I used to command a regiment of over eight thousand, and by then I had barely four thousand left. But the order remained the same. Hold the line, but we can only hold so long. That was when I ordered the men to advance, if we are to die then we are at least to die with a purpose, not stuck in a trench with our heads exposed or hiding and cowering every day, waiting for the screech of a tau rail gun to end another life. That attack was a success. It cost me a thousand of my boys, but we took the tau position and overran them. In weeks, they retreated. Our allies were able to finally push their armoured units into their flanks and forced their retreat. But the Lord General.. he did not share the same beliefs as I did. You see, a regiment from his home world was enroute and he had a plan to bring his planet more glories. How could the glory go to a simple Fallschirm Regiment from Dnieper when the honour so obviously belonged to a Grenadier Regiment that was the Lord General's own? But my father.. my father served on the Crusade Staff and so it was made plain to me as the Lord General wished to have me executed and handed over to the Commissars, even the Inquisition on charges of treason. After all if a Great Lord General was unable to take the territory, I must have been on the Tau's payroll." Kyreg chewed on a piece of root vegetable thoughtfully. He recognized Fallschirm as Drop troop, a phrase rooted in the Germanic tech barbarians of Terra who used to use them. It was no surprise it had spread to other planets of course. "And how did you end up here then?"

Albert sighed again as the next course was served. This time was a slow roasted grox on the bone with a delicate corn and pepper salad. He would slice the meat expertly off of the long thin bone it was attached to before taking a bite out of it. "My Writ stated that I must constantly explore boundaries, as well as make visits to planets near the edge of the Astronomican. I sometimes wish that I had other options other than this, but my boys have stuck with me loyally. They soldier on. My Lieutenant, she was a Naval Cadet at the time and volunteered to accompany me. So quite a few other members of the warship we were billeted on, they had heard of what had happened and chose to accompany me rather than become fodder for the Lord General's next glory hunt. Warrant Officer Skultz, he's a good man. He would have been promoted to Chief Warrant Officer of the 12th Fallschirm's elite Grenadier Company but he chose to stick with me. My actions cost us a thousand lives but it gave us a purpose in that instance, and it gave us a sliver of glory. Of what had caused so many to sign on to fight with the Dnieper 12th Fallschirm Regiment. They were all volunteers, not draftees like the Siege Regiments or the Panzer Regiments." Kyreg listened to him speak and smiled as he picked at the roast meat on his plate.

"Now we are approaching the end of our meal, Lord. I believe you owe me an answer to my first question." Albert sat back, his eyes slightly moist as he quickly dabbed at them with a handkerchief. "The chef always puts too much pepper into this dish, my apologies." Kyreg nodded, although his advanced taste buds tasted not a single fragment of pepper. He however, could understand.

"You are correct, I do owe you an explanation. Where do I start.. bear with me Captain." Kyreg took another sip of the wine more out of habit than a true need for it. "I want you to imagine a man. A great man, a man destined to rule over the galaxy who through his time spent hidden as a figure in society finally revealing himself and creating for himself an army. But this man, he needed Generals. No man alone can conquer the stars just by himself. And so he brought forth eighteen sons, each with a skill and expertise in an aspect of war that they were born with. No amount of training could ever reach their skills in such matters of war. And those Generals were given command of armies, vast armies. Their sons, forged with their gene codes to create warriors without par. Some were noble praetorians, other bloody butchers. And everything in between." Albert nodded, understanding what the Astarte alluded to. "And through the stars, they re-united humanity. Lost civilisations were rediscovered and brought back into the light of Terra. The Emperor himself fought beside his Generals, rediscovering his sons that were cast away from Terra by the actions of those who feared him. But he found them again, one by one. And one by one they pledged themselves to his service, where they lead these armies. They were giants amongst the stars and they created rolls of honour to their names."

Kyreg paused for a moment and smiled lightly. "You understand what I am speaking of, Captain?" Albert nodded as dessert was placed in front of them, some sort of pastry drenched with sweet syrup and garnished with flakes of chocolate and rich cream. "Now these sons, half of them turned away from the Emperor and his dream. These sons gave up the glory they already had and decided that one of their own was more worthy of ruling than the Emperor. Now they gave up the brotherhood that had united them and chose instead to fly the flag of rebellion. For the first time, brother fought brothers. Brothers killed brothers, and they stirred the Emperors domain into rebellion. But not all of their sons sided with them. Some of the fallen sons purged their own ranks. Others failed to do so, assured of their sons loyalty and the righteousness of their actions. Not all of the Generals sons sided with them. Some escaped their circumstances and fought against their fallen brothers. Others wandered the galaxy in search of something else to replace what was lost to themselves forever. Others sought to carve out their own empires, their own fiefdoms and rule. But some of their sons remembered still why the Generals were born in the first place, why the Emperor placed such trust in them, and why the massive armies of the eighteen sons were always treated with reverence. Eventually, the arch fallen son and the Emperor fought, they fought and the son was killed, unable to stand against the raw power of the Emperor, but the Emperor was also greviously wounded. Interned in the Golden Throne, the Emperor could only maintain the Astronomican and watch as his empire was torn asunder with strife and conflict. The fallen sons retreated, some having died on Terra. His loyal sons chased, some chasing them and fighting with the fallen while others mourned."

Albert looked at Kyreg and tilted his head with a questioning look on his face. "And what of you then Lord? Which son are you?" Kyreg smiled for a moment. "Some of the Generals sons, they remembered whom they owed their allegiance to. Their true allegiance. So they fought, and they killed. And they scraped through the war and struck back at their fallen brothers in the only way that they can." Albert nodded, and looked at the Astarte. "So who are you then Lord?" Kyreg smiled back. "That is only a story, Captain. I promised you a story explaining much, and I have delivered such. I promised that I will enlighten you, did I not?" Something in Albert Hinrich's mind clicked together, and he nodded. "I understand Lord. My forces will ensure you victory." Kyreg smiled and stood up, his dessert untouched while Albert remained behind, his mind questioning everything he has heard as the words that the Astarte spoke seemed to trigger things in his mind, showing him visions. That night cycle as he went to sleep in his bed, he tossed and turned.

Visions of flames, of giants wading through withering artillery and bolter fire with weapons too glorious to be imagined. He groaned in his sleep, his rest filled with turmoil. He would try and claw his way out of his visions, but he saw it clearly. He saw the Hydra coil around men of iron, of diseased figures, of wolves now painted black and crushing them. He saw baying blood covered berserkers killing only to be brushed aside by a claw of the Hydra. He saw enemies, human and xeno continuing on their conquest only to be coiled further and further by the tail of the Hydra until they were crushed with a simple flex of the Hydra's tail. When he finally awoke soaked with night sweats, one word echoed in his mind. And he finally understood the true meaning of what the Astarte had said. Hydra Dominatus. He knew then that it was his destiny to serve the Blackshield Astarte. The Emperor Expects.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 25_**

Albert laid down to sleep again, their ship having made much headway towards the planet, his mind racing as he thought about the dreams that kept haunting him. He saw images of armoured giants, of a golden figure, both of which repeated the phrase over and over again in his head. "Hydra Dominatus." The words seem to imbue him with purpose, a purpose beyond simply adhering to the Writ of Trade. He tried to close his eyes again, his hands gripping the silk sheets tightly as he sighed softly and tried to relax himself. As he closed his eyes deeper and took large calmer breathes, his vision darkened and was lit with green flames. He saw the Hydra again, the Hydra this time an extension of the Emperor, roaming forth into the stars and coiling around its foes and utterly crushing them. He would see a large dusk blue armoured giant, and he groaned slightly as he tossed and turned, the giant stalking on a planet as soldiers around him bowed to him, going down on a knee as he walked away from destruction. Beside the armoured giant trailed the Hydra, ever present, ever there. He could sense the Hydra, sense the armoured giant's purpose; they were the Emperor's hidden hand. The multi-headed monster created to destroy his foes where they hid, in the darkness surrounded by masks and fake loyalties.

With a loud gasp, he woke up and sat up quickly, coughing at the dryness of his throat before picking up a large carafe of water and draining it in one long drink, slaking his thirst. He would have to shower again, the realisation made obvious to him by the dampness of his silk nightgown. In the morning, he will speak to his Archivist about such things.

Kyreg sat in the war room, the holographic map display in front of him as he checked over the various points and ridges of Urseuna, the desert planet that orbited the frozen planet of Jarskarr. He would magnify certain portions, looking at the various ridges that ran around the planet as well as looking over the series of runes from all around angles. The runes were shaped topographically, with a large ridge that ran through the middle while half fallen walls surrounded it. The cave entrance it seemed was in the middle of the massive ridge, although no details existed of its cavern system. He was not surprised such things were not mapped, he doubted even the Inquisition had truly been down there. He knew, because if they had, there would no doubt be no life on the planet anymore. The door slid open, and the Rogue Trader stepped in, looking the worse for year considering he had gone to bed for more than eight hours. Kyreg had instead explored the ship, and spent some time in the training bay where he had practiced his blade craft. It seemed even the hard bitten Warrant Officer had nodded approvingly at his swordsmanship. It was efficient, devoid of formalities or wasted motions and utterly lethal.

"You look as if you had stayed up all night." The Astarte commented while carefully blowing up the image of the ruins. The Rogue Trader sighed and shook his head a little. "My sleep lately has been rather disturbed by visions. Perhaps it is because of the warp travels, I am not truly sure. I do know that it is also nothing that a good mug of recaf will not fix." Kyreg smiled slightly before gesturing to the map. "This is our objective. Jarskarr is a lost world. A planet that has had no contact with the Imperium since their first discovery millennia ago. The small satellite planet Urseuna is a desert that was shown to contain some life. Not a lot but small nomadic tribes of people that survive by living in large shaded structures, simple structures made out of woven fabrics and the natural terrain. That is our objective. The ruins here.. this is where we must go, and hold. I expect the Word Bearers to be here shortly after we do." The Captain nodded and pointed to the ruin on the holographic map. "And we do not know what is in it, do we." Kyreg shook his head. "No. We do not, but that is where I require your assistance. I require for your force to act as the warning for us, to safe guard us against the locals so that I may destroy the target." The Captain nodded. "I will have plans for us promptly."

The lead warship broke through the warp one week later, Etana standing on the bow and grinned underneath his helmet. "Send our brothers to the drop pods. We shall assault the planet at once. We must take back what is ours."

Just half an hour after, drop pods began to fly towards the desert satellite, landing all around the ruins and disgorging squads of the dark red coloured troops. Etana stepped onto the desert sand, his elite Octaivan bodyguards around him with their bolters raised. The Sorcerer was behind him and grinned. "Ah Ashfanged.. I can sense the device. It is close.." Without a word, the Sorcerer began to step towards the massive ruins. What used to be a crystal like material was now pummeled down by the various sand storms and turned into a matte dull rough surface, their formerly majestic walls now asunder with cracks and fragments on the sand itself. The Sorcerer would lean down and examined the material carefully, nodding and muttering to himself. It was as if he recognised it, which raised Etana's suspicions. It caused him to follow the Sorcerer closely, with a private vox message to his bodyguards. The Sorcerer does not walk away from this. The Sorcerer would lead them down to a large ridge, what used to be a water source of some kind that drained down into a cavern system. They would take careful steps downwards, and moved into the caverns blow. The caverns were of a smooth polished crystal, possibly similar to what the walls were made up of outside, but the cavern fed into a large room, with many alien letters lining the walls. The Sorcerer would step out of the opening, stepping out of what was a massive water pool of sorts and onto the crystal floors where he laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the massive room. The room only had one corridor leading away, a massive opening that could fit a dreadnought in width and height. Etana stepped forward and looked around. "Lead the way Sorcerer." Ashakhet smiled and began to walk down the corridor, where he would stop in the middle and looked around at the writing around him, scripture that seemed to follow the corridor on the walls. He would reach out and touched the walls, the crystals lighting up for a moment. Etana frowned at such a thing and gestured for his troops to follow him, the Word Bearers behind him lighting up the pilot light of their flamers as they followed.

The corridor opened up to a massive ramp downwards which ran all the way down, and contained massive sources of water pools that seemed to alight with some kind of pale blue light in them, lighting up the large crypt that it came to. The crypt had a large coffin, a sarcophagus with alien features on it that would seem oddly human. It was a massive one, one large enough to house a terminator in it fully suited, and the Sorcerer would wander up to it and smiled before placing a hand on the sarcophagus and started muttering. Soon, dark red balls of energy would travel from the Sorcerer's body and swirl around the sarcophagus, eventually sinking into the sarcophagus itself. Then with a final word, the Sorcerer stood back, and the sarcophagus would begin to open. The lid would float up slowly, before flying onto the ceiling with a soft thud and remaining there while the sarcophagus held an armoured suit that clutched a black gem in its hands. The Sorcerer uttered another word and soon the armoured suit began to rip apart, until a flash of warp fire blazed over the suit and the black gem was lifted up slowly, when suddenly the Sorcerer clutched his head and screamed, falling over onto the ground while several daemon possessed Chaos Astartes began to scream as if their very souls were being ripped apart slowly. The black gem fall back into the sarcophagus while Etana began to look around, drawing his plasma pistol when the shaped charges went off. Hidden on the ceilings, hidden charges detonated into the massive gathering of Word Bearers that were gathered around, the melta charges searing off helmet heads and causing other major injuries to the Astartes there while bolter fire suddenly erupted all around them, powerful armour piercing bolts that cut through power armour like a katana through butter.

Kyreg looked through his sights and began firing as the Sisters around him did the same. Clad in cameoline cloaks, they were well hidden in the darkness and began to move forward little by little. The Chaos Astartes looked around, unable to find the source of fire as the area was suddenly filled up by a dense thick smoke, the underground environment making it difficult for the smoke to escape anywhere. As the smoke filled the room, Kyreg drew his blade and began to move through, slashing and stabbing his way through the ranks while the massively curved long swords of the Sisters who had de-activated their null limiters slashed through the Word Bearers with a keenness that did credit to their pedigree.

Then the walls came to life. The walls opened up and desiccated walking corpses came through them, groaning as they marched towards the Astartes engaged in combat. Kyreg took one look and gestured for the Sisters to retreat. They were outnumbered here, badly. And his bolt rounds seemed to do little to them unless he hit them in the head. The null sphere created by the Sisters seemed to do little, the reason a mystery until Kyreg fired a three round burst into the neck and head of one of the walking corpses, only to reveal robotic machinery underneath. Artificial intelligence. Gritting his teeth, he quickly fired at them in long suppressive bursts that would cut through machine and rotten flesh, the Sisters following him as they moved back towards the opening of the crypt, Kyreg watching as four of the tomb defenders grabbed onto a Word Bearer Astarte and began to rip his armour off of him, the Astartes screams lasting far longer than it should.

Etana looked around and cursed as he fired his plasma pistol in searing blasts, his bodyguards looking around him and firing as well in long bursts of bolter fire. The Sorcerer looked around at the foot of the crypt and smiled slightly. He had known what would happen here, the outburst of so many living things here would have activated the crypts defensive mechanisms. That is why he needed the Word Bearers here, a distraction so that he may take the gem and escape. The Ashfanged howled and looked over at the Sorcerer who seemed to look at him mockingly as he picked up the black gem, giving the Word Bearer a small bow. With a howl, he would aim his plasma pistol at the Thousand Son who smiled and stepped backwards, into a portal that popped open for him and disappeared him, before closing behind him. With a roar of rage, the Word Bearer commanded the Astartes around him to charge and find their way out.

Kyreg fired another long burst as the Sisters made it out of the cavern, and they began to move through the cavern upwards until they could see sunlight, sprinting until they had made it out of the alien ruins, standing in the large ridge that ran through the ruins. Kyreg quickly gave a quick gesture with his hands, the Sisters all bounding to four different corners of the ruins while Kyreg would take out a small perfectly round sphere of utterly black metal and hit a switch on it before dropping it down the hole and sprinted. The Sisters all placed charges around the opening of the ridges and ran for it as well, following the Astarte Commander. With a loud crack, the earth shook, the sphere having dropped down and detonated, sending a massive explosive charge underground, while the sand quickly began to pour down the open hole. The charges set at the corners then detonated as well, the explosion moving the sand around it at a rapidly pace. In moments, the cavern hole would be buried underneath hundreds of tonnes of sand, Kyreg standing on a tall ledge about sixty foot in the air beside the four Sisters who stared down at the hole, while the Astarte Commander grimaced underneath his helmet again. The Sorcerer had gotten away, which meant that a dangerous artefact was now in the hands of someone who should definitely not have it. It also meant that he had to find a way off his planet now.

However, a collective sound could be heard from all around them, and Kyreg looked out. Around them were the natives of the planet who seemed to have gathered in a massive horde. They seemed to have gathered around the alien ruins, probably the moment that the cursed item had been awakened, and they stood with rudimentary rifles as well as various edged blades, standing around the ruins and staring at the Astarte and the Sisters. Kyreg paused as he looked at the group, their numbers numbering over thousands. Thousands of even mortals would have a massive effect on them and stood a great chance of taking them down. That was something that could not be allowed. From within them however came other humans, clothed in blue clothes made into robes and headgear reminiscent of the designs found inside the crypt. Men with staffs, whose eyes seemed to stare right through them. Kyreg however recognized shamans for what they really were; warp sorcerers. Kyreg quickly gave a signal through his vox, the message travelling through the orbit and received by a blue uniformed soldier who prompted ran to the Rogue Traders personal quarters. It was a message of a single word; Crystal. The message read clear to the Rogue Trader who quickly gave orders as gunships were powered up.

The XX Legion Commander smiled underneath his helmet and looked at the Sisters of Silence who accompanied him. "Sisters. I do not believe that we shall meet with the Emperor just yet. However if I do fall, please go to the planet of Tyven V and mention my name to the Governor. Tell him of how I passed." Catriona smirked slightly as she readied her bolter. "Please Commander, no need to become emotional for our behalf." Kyreg smiled underneath his helmet, and the two sides waited. Until one of the Shamans raised his staff towards the sky and began screaming words of power as lightning began to flicker around him. At this signal, the massive army of xenos worshippers attacked, their rudimentary rifles cracking with fire, while the others charged forward with blades. Kyreg waited for them to get closer, before giving the signal and drawing his phase blade. The Sisters around him all drew their powerful Charnabal sabres and the five power armoured figures charged into the mass, their blades slashing, and cutting through the masses. Kyreg didn't just slash his blade through the horde of cultists all around him, he stomped, kicked and smashed as well. Then Catriona gave an order over the vox, and the Sisters undid their limiters fully. The Shamans all began to scream and collapse onto the ground, some bleeding from their nose as the lightning died out around them. Kyreg drew his bolt pistol and fired in rapid succession, exploding throats and heads as he targeted the Shamans, the bolter shells blowing massive holes in the xeno worshippers and sent their souls screaming back into the warp. That was when the warriors around them broke, and they began to retreat. However as they retreated, las cannon and heavy bolter fire would stitch into them as blue painted guncutters dropped off soldiers who set up heavy weapons quickly and began firing into the retreating group. Soon other soldiers dropped down and began firing from their las carbines in a disciplined fashion. However, the goal was not to kill all of them.

An escape route was purposely left open for them, the massive gathering retreating back into their villages and huts, while Kyreg sheathed his blade and looked around at the corpses. "I think it's time to go." More guncutters would land, the Astarte Commander nodding his thanks to the air crew of a guncutter that waved him and the Sisters in.

 _Tyven V_

It had been almost a year since the Commander had left for his vengeance mission. Sergeant Rythor had taken de facto command of the Stealth Spear, amalgamating Gungnir and Xythos both under his command as one team, while Asgeir and Anpa had no problems answering to him either. Both Sergeants had bowed to Rythor's greater experience. Captain Ikanis and he shared an awkward command of sorts under Maygis, who stayed on board the strike cruiser that had only recently begun to be repaired. So far, twenty four of the Initiates had become full implanted Astartes, although still raw and inexperienced. They had been split apart and each given to different Legion units, some forming brand new squads with experienced veterans promoted to Sergeant. A mixture of squads were formed that each were christened with new names, new lineages. The hilts of power swords had been etched with their names, the first of the XVI, the XV and the XII legions in a long time that was as the Emperor had intended; his armoured champions that would stride forth to bring his rule to the stars. Rythor looked over the massive starports at the newly completed ships that had just began to take off into orbit. It had taken the entire year with the planets backing thanks to the Inquisitors that had remained on the planet and their approval of certain assets being provided to them, the fleet had been expanded.

The Kilo Zeta had been supplanted by the Spear of Luna, a vanguard cruiser that had been built for the Assault Spear. At the same time, they also had built four Nova Class frigates, all modified by the various tech marines and adepts that had originally came from the Kilo Zeta to be housed with Tau stealth technology but also modified weapon arrays. Each Nova frigate had the capacity to kill cruisers, and bigger when they worked together. They were intended as the pit vipers, hidden with their venom ready to be used on their larger enemies. New drop ships as well as aircrafts had been built for the new ships, with some personnel being transferred over. One of the most experience void fighters, Lieutenant Mordred who had previously served with high distinction amongst the XX Legion's war fleet had been promoted to serve as the Spear of Luna's captain. The Nova frigates were staffed with various mortal crewmen, with mortal captains promoted from the ranks of the loyalist SDF that had remained. It was all in all a rather impressive fleet.

Even their mortal Auxilia had been augmented. Coyote squadron had fully become a part of the Gamma 6-7, its ranks being filled with Spartocid soldiers gene forged and grown in accelerated vats while the previous Tyven V recruited soldiers had filled out leadership roles in Echo 5-1, a multi-battalion full regiment recruited from the personnel available on Tyven V. Every single one of them a volunteer, the massive planet had provided a large high quality source of manpower as the ones that did survive had been loyalists of the highest degree. In that, Sergeant Yingr was to be thanked. To form an entire regiment of more than ten thousand, it had taken the XX Sergeant months just to find the personnel, the training time a brutal six months that had shaped more than fifty thousand recruits into a lethal ten thousand troop regiment of elite shock troops. They had been blooded in the battle against a pirate fleet that had not noticed the cloaked vessel in orbit and invaded, their operation ruthlessly effective against the overmatched pirates. At the same time, a small rebellion had been suppressed by the Echo 5-1 soldiers as well, a group of cultists that had survived the purges had tried to overthrow a provincial government in the eastern tropics of the planet, the rebellion purged in two weeks as the Echo 5-1 soldiers had brutally cleared the small hive floor by floor, corpses being burned by the hundreds after the rebellion had been broken.

Yet Rythor could not help but look up at the skies every chance he got, hoping that his Commander would be back. It was not just him, even Captain Ikanis would grumble at times, the XX Commander had been the one to unite them after all. Inquisitors Laneth and Gregory had both used their authorities to re-direct shipments of arms and equipment to the planet, and for all intents and purposes the planet has served as a recruiting world, as a home base of sorts finally for the 8th. As he watched the vessels disappear into orbit, he locked his helmet on again as the others waited around him for him to continue leading the training course for the still new Astartes.

Kyreg looked at his armour and made a face as the power wash wand sprayed the blood off of the dusk blue armour. It had been more than a month of warp travel, but they had been making excellent progress so far. The trail of the sorcerer had gone cold as they had travelled to the various planets near Jarskarr with no results to show, although the Rogue Trader had been rather firm in his assistance to the XX Commander. The Sisters were doing the same in the private vehicle wash bay that they had, and as Kyreg finished spraying the guts off his armour, he would activate the holographic field on himself that would render the dusk blue ornamented armour to be those of a blackshield again. He would even sigh softly as he stepped out of the wash bay, his weapons clamped to his armour within easy reach as a servant in blue livery bowed to him.

"Lord, the Captain wishes for you to join him in his private dining hall."

The white jacketed servant would bow and open the massive double doors for the Astarte, Kyreg stepping through to the now familiar hallway. He would stop and admire some of the exotic weapons found there, his eyes resting on a long thin spear that hung in a stasis field. An Eldar singing spear. He would smile slightly, wondering about how a human got his hands on such a weapon, but he had seen the effectiveness of the blue uniformed soldiers, the former drop troopers and could see just how this weapon came into the Rogue Traders collection.

He stepped in and saw the Albert sitting by the faux fireplace, a glass of what smelled like amasec in his hands; the man looked to be absolutely disturbed, his eyes showing huge bags underneath his eyes from the lack of sleep. What was different however, was the massive revolver in his lap. He looked up at the Astarte and dipped his head slightly. "Lord. I wish to know the truth of who you are. Ever since you came on board, my dreams have been haunted by images, of seeing scenes I had never imagined to see before. So please Lord, tell me who you really are."

It would be a lie if he was to admit that he didn't consider simply slicing the man's head off and being done with it. However, a more calculating aspect of himself thought about things for a moment. "Why do you truly wish to know, Captain? Do you truly wish to know even if you know what it might cost you?" Kyreg responded, as he took off his helmet and clamped it around his waist. "You sit there with a revolver that is incapable of hurting me even at this distance. The bullet will flatten itself against my armour, and might not even scratch the paint. So who is that revolver for?" Albert looked down at it for a moment and sighed, before picking it up and unloading it, five massive titanium cased shells sliding out of the cylinder and dropping onto the ground with the slight clink of metal. "I don't know. I worry about the answer I may get, and I suppose for a mortal like me, it's a natural reaction just to arm myself. I suppose you are right, I don't believe this revolver will be of much use to me."

Kyreg looked at him for a moment and chuckled a little before walking to stand in front of the fireplace. "I told you a tale when we first met. I told you of the sons of the greatest leader in human history, where half the sons turned against the other. And I told you as well, these sons were made to be the greatest Generals, to lead humanity into the stars and to claim the dominion of the stars for mankind, did I not?" Albert nodded as he listened intently. "I also told you that they were gifted with their own sons, warriors created by sciences that we don't understand anymore to become the angels that humanity needs. Of that, very little can be of doubt. But not all of their own sons followed them into darkness. Some fought and resisted, many died. But some… some made their way into the lost space. Some carved out small empires and fiefdoms for themselves but a few, a few were able to stay together in small brotherhoods and continue the fight. Where the enemies of humanity were slain by hands that have been rebuked by the High Lords of Terra, their only judge is their own conscience and the Emperor of Mankind."

Albert looked down and drained his glass before setting it down on the small ottoman in front of him. "Yes, you told me of all that. But what does it mean?"

 _Unknown planetary moon_

"No. Stay behind Sergeant. That is an order. I will see him myself, and we shall see what my punishment will be." Kyreg stated to Sergeant Rythor, the veteran Sergeant that was head of the Gungnir stealth squad. The Sergeant paused for a moment and then nodded, many other Legion Officers standing in the drop bay, looking at their Commander. The vox order had come in four days ago, a simple set of coordinates followed by a series of coded words. Kyreg checked his weapons and stepped onto the shuttle before the ramp sealed behind him. More than a solar month ago, the order had come for the 8th to join members of the Night lords on a strike mission on an Imperial world, to attack and destroy an Imperial warship repair station just outside of the Sol system. Kyreg had ordered for them to proceed to the port where the Night Lords had followed the Alpha Legionnaires through pre-designated entry points into the space station. After thirty minutes, the members of the 8th walked back onto their docking ships, leaving behind more than three hundred Night Lord corpses, killed from behind and hidden ambushes with blade and Banestrike bolter shells that blew apart helmets and neck joint seals with ease. A few dozen of their own had fallen as well but their bodies had been brought back to the Kilo Zeta. At the same time, the Night Lord cruiser had been boarded by the elite 10th Company of the 8th, the Agema Terminators. The 7th Company, the Threshold, had joined the Agema terminators in the attack on their cruiser, and an hour later as well, they boarded Stormbird gunships with their wounded and dead, the Night Lord cruiser set to auto pilot and aimed towards the space station but programmed to miss it by barely fifty miles. The Night Lord cruiser had flown past the Imperials, alerting them of traitors in bound even as the Night Lord cruiser crashed into a small moon. A few weeks later, reinforcements were brought in and bolstered the positions around the Sol Systems. Now, he was to pay, he was sure of it. The order to attend had come from the Primarch himself.

As he stepped out of the shuttle, he would check himself over one more time and gritted his teeth slightly, before stepping forward. Awaiting him was the Primarch, dressed in the same suit of armour as the others that stood around him. He would stop ten feet in front of his Genefather and went down on a knee with his head down, awaiting the blade or bolt shell that would be coming his way any moment. "Leave us." Alpharius spoke, a rich voice that held echoes of pain behind it, and sorrow. The bodyguards that came with him all stepped away back onto the dusk blue Stormbird that had been the Primarch's transportation down to this moon. Kyreg could feel an armoured hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at the Primarch. "Rise my son. Tell me what you have done."

He rose and paused as he looked at the armoured face of his father. "I.. I have disobeyed, my Lord. And I am not repentant. I am willing to suffer the consequences." Alpharius looked at him, only slightly taller than the 8th Commander. "You know, I ratified it. Your rank. You are officially the Commander of the 8th." Kyreg looked up slightly in surprise, while the Primarch smiled underneath his helmet. "Yes. Why would I not? I had not expected you to lead, truthfully. When we first met, on the day my father united us, you were on a list of names that were recommended to me to form my Legion's elite. There were a lot of high praises sang about you from many well-known officers of the other legions. It is why I sent you to Ullanor to stand beside my father at the time." Kyreg bowed his head, unsure of what to say in response.

"I had imagined that you would one day have become an Effrit. In many ways you have, but as part of the 8th. I was advised to you know, by my brother. I had wished to claim you as one of my own personal troops." Kyreg realised that the person in front of him was not Alpharius. No, it was Omegon. "I.. my Lord." Kyreg had always had a large amount of respect for his other Primarch, pioneering the use of the elite Effrit stealth squads and developing a way of war that was followed by those who could wear the mantle of a stealth squad. "Instead you surprised me, and rose in rank, first becoming a Veteran Sergeant and sent to the 8th to lead a stealth squad. Then promotion to Captain of the Shrouded, the 8th Harrows elite stealth company. It's only fitting, that you now wear the Commander's mark as the head of the 8th. I know what happened in that space station, my son."

Kyreg clenched his teeth for a moment and drew his blade, holding it out for the Primarch. "If you seek to punish me Lord, then I accept it willingly. I will not lead the 8th into treason. I cannot. I owe my fealty to the Emperor first. Legion… second." Omegon took the blade from him and test swung it, nodding slightly as he noted the balance of the blade as well as the keenly sharp edges. "What makes you think I seek to punish you, Kyreg? Or Kilo 360?" Kyreg was slightly startled by the mention of his number when he had first been inducted. "3 for the third intake. 60 as the 60th member. Kilo because the geneseeds used in your implantation process was from the Kilo batch, the second stabilized batch of XX geneseeds." Omegon chuckled and took one step in and slid the blade into the sheath set at Kyreg's left side. "I am not here to punish you Commander. I am here to see why you did what you did. I wish for you to continue on this path, my brother and I do not agree on everything. Let's just say that while he was not happy with what you did, I am more than willing to accept what you did. I happen to agree with you." Kyreg looked up in surprise at the words of one of his Primarchs.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be. We are all Alpharius. But that does not mean we all share one mind does it? No, I believe you did the right thing. I think that in the days to come, after this war is over… I believe those such as you will be needed. Disappear from this quadrant Commander. My final order to you is to go into the stars and cull the ambitions of Horus." He would reach up and set a hand on Kyreg's shoulder pauldron and nodded. "Ave Imperator, my son." Kyreg bowed his head and nodded. "Ave Imperator, Lord."


	26. Chapter 26

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 26_**

"What this means, Captain is that you may not know what my origin is. Or what my former colours are. But you can be assured that you are being lead upon a path that was sanctioned by a Primarch.. and ordered by the Emperor." Kyreg looked at the man who seemed to pale slightly before pouring another measure of amasec into his glass. "And how do I know that you tell the truth?" Kyreg drew his bolter pistol, the Rogue Trader flinching slightly at the gesture. Kyreg raised his other hand up and ejected the magazine before racking back the slide and ejecting out the round chambered in, catching it neatly and topping it back into the magazine. With the magazine clamped against his breastplate, he would set the bolt pistol down in the Rogue Traders lap. The Rogue Trader looked at it questioningly, reaching out and touching it gently. "That. Do you know what that is?" Albert shook his head. "That is a symbol of trust. Over thirty millennia ago, this humble bolt pistol was forged on Terra itself. It was made according to the designs of the Emperor, to his wishes that he would forge a group of warriors, his chosen genetically enhanced warriors that would take the stars at his command. He ordered this forged, and personally fashioned out the receiver itself. In those days, he was just a warlord. A warlord of greatness, destined to unite mankind under his rule. He enjoyed the humble tasks when he had the time for it, he sought to relive those moments where he watched from the shadows, at the greatness that humanity was able to bring forth but also the darkness that lurked in the hearts of men. He wished to become, if even for a moment, a humble machinist. And thus he fashioned many weapons, there are unspoken legendary arms that exist across the galaxy that had the Emperors hand in them. A trigger here, a receiver there. Sometimes a barrel, and sometimes the breech. With his hands, he was able to bring out the most in simple machinery, just like this pistol. These weapons he made, they were entrusted to the first Legionnaire Astartes that he created, the very first of them past the Alpha stage. Where they were brought to true life, their life after augmentation being purposed for humanity and to bring forth His will."

Kyreg looked into the fake fireplace, and watched the low temperature flames coil around the wood like pieces of steel in the middle. "The weapons he touched, they all had uniqueness amongst them. No ordinary man would be able to craft a bolter that could place shells on top of each other, nor could they create a chainsword with no equal. These weapons are worshipped as relics today by the Astartes but even they do not know where they truly came from. The weapons of the Primarchs, they were all forged by Primarchs, or they came from His hands. They were not just ordinary tools of war; they were his will made manifest into steel and ceramite, just as we were. In each Astarte is a single ray of hope for humanity, because even if in the world there was only one Astarte still standing with his weapon ready, humanity has hope. Until it all came crashing down, until dreams became nightmares and hope turned into despair. Brotherhood dissolved, the great shield of mankind became its noose and threatened to strangle what it once sought to protect. No matter how great the Astarte, they still held in them the spark of humanity, where the deadly sins still dwell. And when angels fall, they fall down to the depth of hell. But that bolt pistol, that is a sign of trust, of a greater purpose than simple personal power. So let me ask you this Rogue Trader. Do you truly wish to know? Because after this, you will have no way to turn back."

Albert sat up, invigorated by his words and looked down at the weapon in his lap. He would place his hands on it, feeling almost what felt like a warmth to the weapon that was missing in his exotic collection. "I have had no way to turn back the moment that Writ of Trade was printed to my name." He replied, holding his head up high for the first time that night.

Kyreg looked at the man for a moment and commanded the holograph to vanish. Dusk was revealed out of blackness, silver from the dark. Kyreg stood there in all the splendor of a XX Legion Harrow Commander, the symbols of the snakes entwined around his armour, the Aquila proudly displayed on the top left side of his breastplate. Even amongst his eyes glinted hints of amber with the pride and fierce cunning that once served the Emperor with intelligence that rivalled even those of the Emperors most worshipped sons; a strategic mind that was held on par with those of Guilliman as well as Dorn. Albert gasped as he looked at the legion symbols that adorned the Astarte in front of him, his hands clenching shut all of a sudden with shock. "You're.. you're .."

"Yes. I am Alpharius. Or rather what Alpharius should have been. A loyal son no matter the state of the universe, the coiling serpent of vengeance that should have been waiting at the Emperors side to strike out at his foes. The shadow blackened fangs dripping with venom that appeared from nowhere and everywhere at once, and be the operatives that the Emperor forged us to be." Kyreg picked up the bolt pistol from the Rogue Traders lap and looked at it carefully. "I was gifted this pistol on the day I donned my dusk blue, the day cameoline draped my shoulders; the day where my fangs grew in and enriched with venom. And I refuse to simply forget what the Legios Astartes were forged to be." He would look at the Rogue Trader, awaiting a response from the man.

Albert thought about his dreams, he thought about his visions that had been haunting him ever since the Astarte came on board. Pieces began to fit together and he saw the nightmares for what they truly were; they were mirages of future glory. Of service in the Emperors name once more. He stood up in front of the Astarte and went down on one knee. "From the day you entered my ship, I saw images in my sleep. Nightmares that haunted my rest, nightmares in pieces that did not fit together, that held no consequence to what I knew at the time. But now I understand them for what they are. They were a call Lord, a call for me to serve you, and help you achieve your goals, to serve the Emperor once more in a purpose that has been missing from this vessel."

Kyreg nodded and reached down to gently lift the man up. "I have been thinking as well, of your family name. Hinrich. That is a name that is familiar to me, and I finally recall why." Kyreg stood back up and nodded a few times in recollection. "Your family name is familiar to me because of an Imperial Auxilia officer, Stephan Hinrich. He served the XX Legion not as a warrior, although he lead mortal men with the bravery of lions that followed the Emperors demands into the stars. No, he served us as an agent. In moments of crucial need, we asked him to perform tasks for us that would only make sense when battle was finally joined. He had a family, which I recall. Who they were, I do not remember but I do remember how he died. He died a god of war, holding the section of a fortress wall against orks, more than ten thousand their numbers and he died standing, holding the battle standard of the 1st Kaiserich Shocktroops high."

Albert listened to those words and nodded. "He is an ancestor in my family, sir. The 1st Kaiserich Shocktroops were the ones to settle Dnieper, and in that is how my family and I came to be." Kyreg smiled for a moment. "It seems Captain that fate has brought us together again." He would remove a small tool from his belt and gestured for the man to lift up his shirt. Albert did so with puzzlement on his face, before Kyreg activated a small stud on the thin tool and pressed the end against Albert's skin, just underneath his rib cage. Albert felt a sharp pressure before the Astarte removed it. He looked at the Commander questioningly, before Kyreg smiled and would flash a specific frequency light at his ribcage. Albert could see, where the tool had been a tiny symbol of a Hydra and nodded. "We try to be subtle about those that are in our employ. It could be rather disastrous if they were so easily discovered.." Albert nodded with understanding.

The news was revealed to the crew bit by bit, in batches. Albert stood there and informed them of their new direction, of how they will serve the Emperor truly. Some were suspicious, as what they had known of the XX Legion had been of agents that sought to destroy the Imperium in every which way possible. However, they listened to Kyreg's words. He spoke to them of the Emperors dream, of why he must continue to fight and why he must strike down those of the Legions that still stood, their treasonous paths all leading to disaster for humanity and why they must be stopped. Not just for the Imperium, as Kyreg owed no loyalty to the High Lords of Terra. Truth be told, neither did any of the crew who had all seen the rampant nepotism and corruption that ran through the ranks. It was of no small significance when Kyreg told them that his loyalty has been and always will be to the Emperor. The High Lords of Terra had become what the Emperor had tried to destroy most, the weakness in the hearts of men. However it was not simply that the corruption had leaked into every faucet of mortal rule in the Imperium, it was that the Emperor was no longer there to guide them and so it could not be blamed for mortal men to stray. He told them the truths of things that they had always wondered about. He told them of how the Astartes had been forged by the Emperors own hands, how the most hated traitors had once been the favoured spear tip of the Emperor. How each Legion had a role that was envisioned for them, a fractal of the Emperors blade that was made to complement each other and create a blade with no dull edges. Of how the greatest betrayal had become, and he spoke on length about the Emperor himself.

"Meeting the Emperor is .. something that I cannot describe. It is not simply because of his majesty that radiated from him as the righteous ruler of mankind. In fact, it was not just the Emperor, but the Emperor and the Sigilite. The Emperor and Malcador had both been the greatest driving forces behind the union of humanity. The Emperor created vast armies, and lead them first in the basin of human civilization and then created his eighteen sons. His legacy that was meant to form a grand table of the greatest minds and personalities that could be created while Malcador stood beside the Emperor and ensured the necessary battle plans were given the right support. That bolter shells and plasma canisters were produced and supplied to the battle groups. The Emperor forged humanity into what he had envisioned, while Malcador poured on the cold water that strengthened it and polished it into the truth become reality. You cannot meet the Emperor and be untouched, no matter who you are." Kyreg paused for a moment as he looked around the mass gathering of the crew, even the Sisters sitting amongst them for he wanted them to hear it as well.

"Meeting the Emperor is to bring forth every noble feature that you possess into the forefront and bringing you into a higher state of being. No matter who you are, it brought nobleness into you. Even Abbadon, when he wore the all black of the XVI elite, had met the Emperor. And for all he hates him now, the Despoiler still shows honour. When a single company of Astartes defied him and fought to the death, he showed them honour. Not a single one of their bodies were defiled, and their bodies as well as their suits of power armour were sat on thrones. For all his rage distilled after millennia, even the Despoilers actions cannot be denied to have been influenced by the Emperor. It is difficult to explain and for that I apologize. However remember this if nothing else, we are all here because of the Emperor. From his first steps on Terra when he cast off his disguise as a mere mortal and started on the path that lead him to the Golden Throne, he brought humanity together and united us all in one purpose; to take our rightful place amongst the stars."

The room was silent, some crew members shedding silent tears as they were reminded truly of their purpose, of what their existence was meant to be. "You speak more passionately than any preacher I've met, Lord." Warrant Officer Skultz said with his usual gruff, although he made the sign of the Aquila across his chest with respect behind the gesture. Kyreg bowed his head in return. "Preachers did not walk next to Him like I did. It is an honour which I will treasure, to have lived during the time that the Emperor walked amongst us and lead us into battle. And the Sigilite, I will treasure the memories I have of meeting him in the small garden that he permitted himself as his own luxury in order to fulfil his orders, to order the things which the Emperor did not wish to but objectives that needed to be fulfilled." The Warrant Officer bowed this time with a satisfied smile on his face.

"What is our next step then, Lord?" Albert asked, the question which has been on the mind of every crew member since this began. "We must make for Tyven V, towards the place which my forces still hold. From there, our next step can be figured out. I must unite with my forces, and then we must find the xenos gem. That is the only way which we can hope to stop the darkness that will approach."

Kyreg stood on the bridge as the Rogue Traders cruiser drifted out of the warp slowly. The past month of travel had been steady, with little issues. For most of it, Kyreg stood on the bridge and watched. Behind him as always stood the Oblivion Knight Catriona and her Sisters, who seemed to act more and more as his honour guard wherever he went. They had just entered the Ultima Segmentum, and while Kyreg was more used to the space travel schedules of an Astarte, the mortal crews needed a resupply. Perhaps he had simply not noticed it, or perhaps it was because on the Kilo Zeta, the ship crew subsisted mostly on various synthetically produced foods designed to be shaped and flavoured like real foodstuffs. At the same time, a lot of the tasks were carried out by servitors instead of living crew so their rations were often simply nutrient gruel designed to sustain the servitors without much actual need for flavour. He did notice that the crew on Albert's ship dined much better than comparable Imperial Navy or Astarte vessels. He was still a stranger to the opulent meals produced by the Captain's personal chef, choosing instead to ask for a simple meal in the same canteen that the crew ate at, when he rarely did eat. He averaged about one or two meals a week. In between he would train in the ships barrack areas, where he excelled at the target range of course but he had to make do with sparring machines. Even at the highest settings with all safety protocols disabled, it only helped him maintain his swordsmanship. None of the crew members were able to spar with him, not truly. It took perhaps twenty of them at once and even then, their lives were highly at risk due to the nature of his blade.

As he looked across the viewports, he could see the planet that they approached and smiled lightly. The resupply would be efficient, he was sure and they would be on their way soon. He would activate a small locator beacon through his helmets tactical command console; this was a coded frequency that would bring attention to his forces. Of course it was known where they were but the standard procedures had always been the same in the cases of separation. Continue with mission, and then meet at rendezvous point. The only rendezvous point available would be Tyven V, which would be at least a week of warp travel away from where they were now but it was at least in the same subsector at the very least.

The cruiser would drift closer to the planet, heading towards what seemed like an orbital docking station. "The planet itself is quite a merchant's paradise, Lord. It also means that its orbital station is filled with various contractors who would be dying to resupply us, especially as we pay instantly and on the spot through a transfer process instead of bit by bit as many like to do on the planet itself." The Rogue Trader was quite a fountain of knowledge, and throughout their travel time, Kyreg had taken advantage of the fact and picked the man's brains. Many nights have been spent over a bottle of amasec, Kyreg enjoying the flavour of the beverage more than the alcohol as his system eliminated it rather efficiently. He was about to respond when the warp opened, and multiple frigates entered through, their markings making them obvious. With symbols of corruption painted all over and etched into the hulls, the Chaos raiders openly made a charge for the Rogue Trader cruiser.

"Battle stations, arm all weapon system now. Arm them all dammit." Lieutenant Elisabet Klara yelled out as she took control of the bridge. "Full shields, plasma projectors on full power. Arm the lances, and load all torpedo tubes. All auto loaders activate on macrocannons, I want targeting to begin now!" She yelled out as she began to organize the bridge. Kyreg nodded with appreciation at her efficiency, the crew moving quickly into the appropriate battle positions and orders were given out. "Plasma projectors and torpedo tubes ready." The Lieutenant had no hesitation in her voice as she gave the order to fire. "Fire all tubes, maximum spread pattern. Plasma projectors, target the ones remaining behind. Lance charge time?" One of the crew checked his console and answered. "Ten minutes Ma'am. Macrocannons loaded now." She nodded and grinned. "Excellent work. Macrocannons, fire when they get within ten kilometers, then take over with lance fire when lance is charged." Kyreg grunted with amusement and checked his bolter carefully.

"You expect boarders, Lord?" Warrant Officer Rudolf appeared beside the Astarte looking questioningly at the Marines actions. "Of course I do Warrant Officer. They are Chaos Astartes but they still think like Astartes. Long range fire may be great but kill the crew and the battle is won. And they know that mortal crew stand very little a chance against Astartes in the close corridors of the ship." Rudolf nodded. "Aye Lord, I shall inform the Gunnery Sergeant. We shall make ready with heavy weapons." Kyreg nodded, as Albert began giving his own orders as well, to his bodyguards as well as to the former drop troops on board. "Platoon leaders, I want full activation now, all units on standby." The vox headset he put on buzzed back with responses while he nodded with satisfaction. He may have been spoiled by the good living he had been experiencing but in a battle, he still had the knowledge formerly hard won through battle.

The plasma projectors fired their deadly beams through the void, while the torpedoes ripped through the enemy raiding formation; several were struck although its effect was negligible. "Enemy returning fire, torpedoes being fired. Impact in five minutes." The Lieutenant gritted her teeth slightly, they had gotten too close to evade at that point. "Power up engines, speed through them." It was a classic tactic; hope to get within the arming range of the torpedoes to avoid detonation. A count down timer was quickly put on the tactical screen. Kyreg raised an eyebrow. "Lieutenant, I would start trying to shoot them down. They are probably boarding torpedoes. Do not forget they are Chaos, they do not wish to kill you with strategy. They wish to kill you at close quarters, they care nothing about the death of a ship. They care however for how many lives they can take. Perhaps capture slaves as bartering items. The ship itself could be captured and stripped for parts before being sold or traded off." The Lieutenant sighed with frustration, she was used to fighting mortal enemies not space marines. The countdown hit to three miutes and twelve seconds before the impact was felt. "Three hits Lieutenant, the rest disintegrated from counter-battery fire." Elisabet looked over at Kyreg. "I would order your platoons to advance towards the impact points with heavy weapons. Expect heavy resistance." She nodded and began to relay orders to the security forces on board. Albert looked over at Kyreg and nodded as well while he gave orders to his troops and sent them towards the impact points. Soon enough, the slaughter started.

Only the heavy weapons seemed to do any real damage, the heavy bolter shells stitching into the charging armoured bezerkers. "Death to the False Emperor!" They screamed out through their helmet voxes as revving chain axes met carapace armoured bodies, human corpses being tossed to the side even as individual troops were lifted up into the air while a chain blade gutted them slowly. Kyreg closed his eyes for a moment and nodded to himself. "Sisters. Guard this bridge, let none pass. I shall wade into battle." Before Catriona could protest, Kyreg picked up his bolter and walked through the doors. The first boarding torpedo was not too far away judging by the sound of chain weapons as well as the higher pitched screeches of the las weapons and the louder throatier roar of the heavy bolters. He would move through the halls down past the mess hall until he was in one of the loading bays where fourteen armoured giants were cutting through the blue uniformed soldiers who would unload a las rifle at full auto point blank with little effect. He grunted and shouldered his bolter and began firing. Cainite bolt rounds met power armour, and was sliced through like it was paper. As the magazine ran empty, the last traitor marine charged towards the Commander, only for Kyreg to step aside while drawing his power dagger in one fluid motion and bringing it up and then striking furiously downwards through the skull of the traitor that moved right past him, the power dagger cutting through the helmet with ease and frying the traitors brain. Kyreg pulled the power dagger back and sheathed it before reloading his bolter. The Rogue Traders troops looked at him with awe and at the bodies that laid around the loading bay floor. "Burn the bodies, bring up a flamer. We must erase all trace of them from the ship." The troops around him nodded as he kept walking. The Lieutenant sent him a quick message with a map showing where the second torpedo was. "Lord, the other two are further back, near the crew quarters. The real danger is the engine bay; I've diverted all forces there to hold it. If they make it to the engine bay, we are in trouble."

"I will cleanse them Lieutenant." The doors opened for him as he moved down towards the engine bay. The moment the doors opened for him however, he came under heavy fire. It seemed that instead of attacking the engine bay directly, the Chaos Astartes had decided to advance another direction, towards easier targets. Individual Astartes maybe powerful but an entire company of heavy weapons were still able to take down individual marines. Bolter rounds would zip past him, some impacting on the energy field around him while he ducked behind a pillar quickly. Seeing their targets suppressed, the green armoured warriors charged their target. Kyreg however, tossed a frag grenade out cooked out to be just over a second, his pinkie finger camera sending the images to his helmet from around the pillar. The frag grenade detonated amongst the charging Astartes although their armour protected them from the majority of the shrapnel blast. The one in the middle however, went down after fragments penetrated through the arm joints of his armour as well as the neck seals around his helmet. However, the blast threw many on the ground but that was enough for Kyreg. He turned the corner and strode forward as his bolter fired with a quiet puff as the suppressor did its job. The Cainite rounds drilled through armoured bodies although he was still facing Astartes; the return fire happened quickly. As the bolt clicked back on empty as the last round was fired, he clamped it to his side with his left hand while drawing his phase sword with his right hand and slashed through ceramite and flesh, the ceramite being shredded as if paper while limbs were cut off and heads removed.

Kyreg stabbed his blade through the breastplate of a Chaos Astarte who had just gotten up, twisting the blade as he destroyed at least one of his primary hearts but the traitor roared and swung his keening chainsword at the XX Legionnaire. Kyreg immediately withdrew the blade and caught the chainswords teeth for a moment right before his blade sliced the chainsword in half. The traitor growled and still lunged forward but Kyreg this time took a single step back and swung from top to bottom and bisected the Astarte, both halves falling messily onto the ground. As he turned around to advance, he was hit by the force of a hammer, a chaos Astarte tackling him to the ground and growling, the smell of blood both fresh and old assaulting his senses even through the filter of his helmet. He could make out an insignia, what looked like a daemon face with two horns growing from them etched on the traitors helmet in a green metal. An elbow was smashed into his helmet, although he ducked his head in time so the impact didn't damage his helmet lenses before he would drop his hips down just slightly before ramming himself forward into the traitor. The traitor had raw power, but was inexperienced. Kyreg didn't get the same distilled hate from his opponent as he did when facing those of the fallen Legions. A renegade then.

"Traitorous snakes, what are you doing here? Helping the corpse worshippers?" His opponent hissed out as they circled each other, having untangled themselves. The traitor held no weapon, but the XX Legion Commander didn't underestimate his opponent. An inexperienced Astarte was still an Astarte. "What? No words? Typical snake… not enough courage to face a true warrior of Chaos!" His opponent roared and charged him with overconfidence, not a mistake that Kyreg would make. As the Astarte came to within striking distance of him, he quickly darted inwards drawing his power dagger at the same time and grabbed his opponent by the neck and twisted his body, his right leg reaching out and striking his opponents kneecap. Of course it would not be the armour of the XX Legion if he didn't have any tricks. A blade flicked open from his armoured boots and he swiftly stabbed it into the side of the traitors kneecap, the blade slicing tendons as the traitor collapsed on one knee. Then with a quick pull, he would tug the traitor closer towards him and slid his power dagger through his opponents helmet left lens with a sickening crunch and a slight sizzle as the power field burnt a hole through the Chaos Astartes brain. He pulled the blade out and dropped the corpse down before deactivating the power dagger and sheathing it again. With a mental order, the blade retracted back into his boot and with a slight smirk underneath his helmet, he would continue on wards. The last boarding torpedo was in the middle of the engine room. As he made it down the hall and the doors slid open for him, he could smell the tang of freshly spilled blood and heard gunfire as well as roars and the loud roars of chain weapons being used. He drew his pistol and his phase blade and attacked the enemy's flank.

Twenty Astartes remained, each having charged into the blue uniformed line of soldiers who were being hacked apart while heavy bolters and plasma guns were firing with their distinctive roars and the piercing whines of a plasma discharge. He could tell at first glance that they were losing. Of course they were fighting without the aid of a Legion Officer. His first bolt collapsed a brute with a chainaxe, the Kraken bolt round blowing out parts of the traitors brain from his helmet. The second bolt severed a spinal cord, the traitor collapsing onto the ground mid strike and was swiftly put down by a soldier with a plasma gun. He never got the chance to fire off a third shot as a renegade in more ornate armour roared at him and walked out towards him with a power sword swung in challenge. Kyreg looked at him for a moment and clamped the bolt pistol back onto his hip. When he was still a new battle brother, he had trained with some of the finest close quarter assault specialists in the Legions. The XVI and the IX. The enemy officer charged him with his power sword with a downward strike, Kyreg merely smacking the blade aside and stepping aside before drawing his power dagger as well. His enemy swung at him again, this time hoping to cut him from hip to hip but Kyreg simply stepped into the swing and parried it with his phase sword while stabbing the power dagger into the officers gauntlets. The powered dagger cut through the armour and turned the traitors hands into a mess of sinew, tissues, and bone, the officer dropping the power sword as the nerves in his hands were no longer able to receive any mental impulses. Stepping in and ramming his enemy with his armoured pauldron, he stabbed forward quickly as well as the phase sword sliced right through the ceramite breastplate and cut upwards, cutting the blood vessels that supplied oxygen to his opponents lungs and hearts before stabbing through the officers vox unit with his power dagger, the blade striking upwards and cutting through the base of his skull and into his lower medulla, severing his spine and removing his ability to breathe or move, leaving the traitor to choke to death on his own blood.

The death of their officer made his enemies hesitate for a moment, and that was all that was needed. Sheathing his twin blades and drawing his combi-stalker bolter, he sent precise three round bursts into the remaining Astartes, three of them taking advantage of his empty magazine after the last burst had been fired to charge him. He simply charged right at them as he ejected his magazine and as they began to swing at him, he dropped down into a slide. The momentum propelled him between two of the traitor Astartes and Kyreg quickly reloaded as he would spin himself around and placed a careful burst in the back of the three Astartes helmets, the melta tip burning through their armour and a large chunk of their skull before the mutagenic acid forced inwards by the solid needle core turned their brains into liquid mush. He would stand up, his armour dented in various places from both his opponents strikes as well as their bolters, and looked around. The blue uniformed soldiers looked at him in awe while he quickly gave a gesture for them to burn the bodies. He would begin to make his way back towards the bridge when the red warning lights suddenly came on again.

"All hands brace for impact, enemy cruiser just appeared out of the warp. They have fired their torpedo tubes and we will be unable to dodge three of them. All hands brace for impact."


	27. Chapter 27

**_Shadow of a Doubt Ch 27_**

Kyreg looked through the screen while Catriona and the rest of the Sisters of Silence activated their helmets void capabilities, their helmets unlike the Astartes were not generally made to be void capable but had to be manually activated. Kyreg however didn't seemed too worried even as the counter batteries fired, a storm of lasers and plasma blasts fired into the maelstrom of torpedoes fired at them. Three of them got through and began to fly towards the Rogue Traders cruisers. Lieutenant Elisabet gritted her teeth and stood there calmly, her head held high as she looked at the torpedoes coming towards them. Kyreg stepped forward and chuckled slightly. "All power to the frontal shields. Engines go to maximum overdrive." He ordered. The mortals hesitated only for a moment before remembering what they had seen the dusk blue armoured Astarte was capable of against other Astartes and followed his orders. "Impact, five minutes." Kyreg simply looked ahead. "Activate warp jump. Push forward at warp jump and then full halt." This time the mortals did hesitate but Kyreg simply stared ahead, unwavering. The Lieutenant had already assumed her death and simply closed her eyes and began to utter prayers.

"Don't pray to Him. He hates that." Kyreg said to her, earning a look of shock from her face as the cruiser began to surge ahead before slamming to a stop in mid-space. The maneuver that Kyreg had just ordered was one from the textbooks of the V Legion. The torpedoes were slammed aside by the energy accumulated by the intentionally aborted warp jump, the flow of crackling energy over the shield ramming the torpedoes aside. The torpedoes however still detonated, but facing away from the main shield, the ships shield absorbed most of the damage, the shaped charges harmlessly detonating into space. The bridge crew grew quiet at the effects of the maneuver, and the Lieutenant now looking at Kyreg with a more devoted look in her eyes. Legion Commanders were not simply warriors on land, they were expected to embrace and master the full spectrum of war that was being brought to the stars. "Now, full power to engines. Maximum burn, sling shot us around the planet to the other side. Load all torpedo tubes." The cruiser was brought roaring across the planet, dodging a blast of a lance from one of the Raider ships.

The cruiser ripped around the planet's atmosphere with its engines in full burn, the crew now looking towards the Astartes Commander for guidance. "When you're around on the other side, fire all torpedoes at the vessel closest to the planet." The order was quickly obeyed and as the cruiser just appeared out of the other side, it opened fire. The gravitational fields that sling shot the cruiser also affected the torpedoes, their impact time cut down by half, the torpedoes impacting into a chaos frigate and detonating it even as the crew tried to turn the frigate away to run. The bridge cheered as they saw one vessel destroyed but Kyreg knew this was only a temporary victory. "Now. Prepare to abandon ship."

The mortal crews looked at him stunned. "But Lord… we're winning! A few more shots like that and we'll have established victory." Kyreg shook his head however and looked at the Lieutenant. "Lieutenant. Theoretical; what do you use to destroy a large cruiser if you don't have a cruiser yourself?" The Lieutenant thought about it for a moment. "A multitude of corvettes or frigates.." Kyreg nodded. "Practical then. How does a large cruiser fight off a strike by corvettes and frigates?" She thought about the answer but didn't seem to want to give the answer. "Lieutenant, I'm waiting for an answer." She sighed softly and bit her lips. "A large cruiser requires at least multiple fighter wings or escorted by her own frigates and corvettes. We can only fire at one target at a time." Kyreg nodded but looked at Albert. "It is your call, Captain. That is only my suggestion." The Rogue Trader looked stunned for a moment. "How will you have us abandon ship?" The Astarte Commander was about to answer when a lance strike hit the port side, causing the whole ship to shudder. "It looks like that choice has been made for us, Captain." The Rogue Trader sighed and closed his eyes before reaching down and hitting the PTT switch on the ship board vox system.

"This is your Captain speaking. All hands, abandon ship. All hands, abandon ship. Evacuation plan turquoise." As one, his soldiers all headed for the ships hangar bays where a small army of strike crafts awaited them. At the same time, auto pilot was set and the ships crew began to make for the life pods. The life pods were programmed to follow a designation by the command strike crafts, and Kyreg would follow the bridge crew to the Arvus Lighter that served as the command craft along with the Sisters. The vessel was quite large, and easily accommodated the bridge crew. The last order to the vessel given was simple; fire all weapons at the enemy. Then the vessel was ejected and the large convoy of vessels made towards the surface.

"Memlock, an Imperial World that is often the target of Chaos and xenos raiders due to its close proximity to the Eye of Terror. Last Imperial contact was almost three hundred years ago, declared a lost world three hundred years ago. Last known Imperial governor was lost in transit enroute to the planet."

The computer spat out the words mechanically as Kyreg looked out ahead as the convoy plunged through the atmosphere and would land in a pin point formation just outside of a large city with walls, a massive castle can be seen in the center. As the former crew exited the landing crafts, Kyreg looked out at the city itself. It was an oddly built city, the walls were made of brick with an obvious large mechanically controlled gate in the center. He could make out soldiers in grey uniforms on top of the ramparts but they did little except stare at them. Up in the sky, they could see flaming vessels trailing after them. Drop pods.

"Form battle lines. Dig trenches, as fast as you can. Even if they're only slit trenches. Set up the heavy weapons. We will fight here. And if we must, we will die here." Kyreg declared as he picked up his stalker bolter and checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded. Around him, mortal soldiers with a grim look quickly got to work, the former drop troopers all soldiers first, and they followed orders quickly. Albert stood there and looked at the sky angrily. "My damn ship, it was the finest ship I had ever sailed on. My goddamn ship." He would curse at the sky, directing his enmity towards the Chaos drop pods making for the planet. Kyreg received a quick encrypted vox burst in his helmet; Indigo. He would smile to himself but said nothing to anyone else. Around him soldiers quickly set up heavy bolter guns and auto cannons while the ship's crew helped with trench digging, many taking out pioneer tools and the like to help in trench digging. Kyreg thought about the battle space in his head, his only real hope was that the heavy weapons would hold against the enemy Astartes.

With loud crashes, the drop pods smashed into a large forest more than two kilometers away. Native animals would screech and run out in fear, and armoured footsteps began to trample on the ones that were too slow to escape. "In the name of Chaos! Death to the False Emperor!" The roar could be heard by the battle lines but Kyreg simply told them to hold. Even Albert had picked up the massive revolver normally holstered at his hip. Kyreg smiled slightly before the enemy began to march towards them, a marching pace turning into a charging pace. He would look on as he began to plot distances and effective weapon ranges in his head. Soon, they were within a kilometer and he gave the order. "Autocannon teams, open fire." The blue uniformed soldiers quickly cycled the rounds into action and began firing. Loud thumping blasts could be heard as the action cycled back and forth, sending the explosive rounds down range towards the charging enemy. Limbs were blown off and torsos were crushed but still, they were Astartes and they continued to charge. "Now heavy bolters, fire." The line of heavy bolters began to clatter to life, belts being fed into the guns as the armour piercing bolt rounds were sent flying down range towards their targets. The bolt rounds added to the cacophony of auto cannon rounds crashing into the charging troops, but their return fire was also quite effective. Bolter rounds came from the enemy once they got close enough, rounds searing past the mortal positions, some rounds detonating when they hit dirt or flesh. Kyreg readied his stalker bolter, the Sisters following his lead. He held his fire however, as he loaded a sixty round drum into his stalker bolter.

"We hold. All guns take aim." Warrant Officer Skultz growled as he hefted a hotshot las rifle in his hands, shouldering it and looking down the battle line. Following his orders, the blue uniformed soldiers all shouldered and took aim with their las carbines. Off on the right flank was a small group of soldiers who wore carapace armour and were armed with hot shot las rifles instead of the standard las carbines. "The former Grenadier company of my regiment." Albert chimed in as he looked at the direction which Kyreg's helmet was turned towards. Kyreg nodded once. "Grenadier company, form up around me." The full visor helmets of the soldiers nodded and they quickly moved to where Kyreg stood, each addressing their lane of fire. "We will concentrate fire until one hundred meters."

"What happens at one hundred, Lord?" The Grenadier Sergeant asked, his visor glinting in the sunlight. "Then Sergeant, we will make legends. We will write legends with our blood and in the afterlife, present it to the Emperor and show him that we were worthy of his sacrifice. That even on his transcendence to the Golden Throne, mankind still advances forward." The Sergeant paused for a moment and nodded. "Ave Imperator, Lord." Kyreg nodded and smiled underneath his helmet. Soon the battle line approached closer and closer, until Skultz gave the order. "All lines, fire!"

A hundred las carbines came to life, set on the maximum charge settings fired into the advancing black and green armoured charging chaos marines. A few of them dropped here and there but their ceramite held against the las charges. "Keep firing, fire until your barrel is glowing hot!" The Warrant Officer growled out over the howls of the las weapons joining the heavy weapons. "Cease fire!" Kyreg ordered after a good ten minutes of the punishing fusillade. "Maximum setting on your hellguns, Sergeant." The veteran NCO nodded as the Grenadiers adjusted their firing settings. "With me then, the Emperor demands his glories."

Kyreg advanced, with the Sisters of Battle following at his side, their bolters blazing as they sprayed the armour piercing rounds through the enemy ranks. Beside them came the Grenadiers, their hotshot las guns glowing red hot as they emptied charge packs after charge packs into the advancing line, the hotshot bolts piercing through ceramite at a closer range although the fury of the return fire still took their toll. Two of the Sisters went down in sprays of bright red blood while eight of the Grenadiers fell, Catriona gritting her teeth as she advanced beside Kyreg, Liadain beside the Astarte Commander firing her bolter while screaming oaths of vengeance towards their enemy. In front of them came the enemy Commander, a large armoured brute screaming for blood swinging a massive chain axe. Kyreg looked at him coolly before advancing towards him. As the enemy champion came towards him and swung his axe forward, Kyreg seemed to almost step only millimetres aside before in a single motion, he drew his phase sword and sliced right through and up the Chaos champions breastplate, sending two pieces of the traitor onto the ground while stomping on the helmet, crushing it underneath his armoured boot. The ease with which he killed seemed to stun the Chaos Marines for a moment before he sheathed his blade and continued to fire into their lines. As the last round fed from the drum magazine, he ejected the empty drum and loaded in a new one and continued to fire.

They were almost at point blank now, Kyreg holding down the trigger on his bolter as he led the remaining two sisters and Grenadiers behind them. The Sisters triggered the flame throwers underneath their bolters and poured burning hot promethium in the much hotter but thinner streams of fire, cooking and searing flesh inside armour while the Grenadiers would pick their targets more carefully, firing in long controlled bursts of hot shot las bolts. Armoured corpses dropped to the ground, dead from either bolter, promethium or hellgun las bolts, Kyreg finally drawing his sword and charging the last group of Traitors, his blade arching through them even as they growled and began to draw combat knives. However, the Chaos Space Marines have gotten used to fighting weaker prey that had no ability to really fight back. In that day, they fought the apex predator on the planet and found themselves wanting. Kyreg stepped into a dagger thrust, catching it on his pauldron before slicing upwards and cutting off his opponents knife wielding arm. Then when the traitor roared in pain and tried to head butt him, he found his helmet caught by the dusk blue armoured Astarte as a long blade was shoved through the helmet lenses mercilessly.

The massive gate could be heard being opened bit by bit, the massive thick section of wall segmented from the rest being sunk into the ground through a device opening. At the same time, a gathering of soldiers could be seen. Dressed in grey uniforms with long rifles that had spike bayonets attached, they marched out in a close knot formation with Sergeants armed with Sabers at the flanks. They would stop a dozen meters away or so, before the officer obviously in charge of the formation stepped forward. The soldiers wore a simple grey uniform, with black stripes denoting ranks. The officers seemed to wear a grey peaked cap with gold trimming on the brims while the Sergeants had red trim on theirs. A long barreled auto pistol was strapped to the officers waist although he carried a long sword instead of a rifle.

"Greetings sky people. You are welcomed to Memlock, ruled by our benevolent King Judimen. Your presence has been requested by His Majesty, and we are here to conduct you to him at all haste. Please, hand off your weapons please and we will gladly escort you into the city." Albert stepped forward and shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, we will follow you to your King but we will not disarm ourselves. That is not a possibility." The officer sighed and looked at the soldiers as if to convey a point. "Unfortunately good sir, that is not a matter of debate." Kyreg stepped forward and drew his very long phase sword and stepped in front of the officer. "If that is the case, then you can try to take it from me." The officer looked up at the dusk blue armoured giant and gulped slightly. "I believe sir.. that should you swear a gentlemanly oath to not bring harm, then we can agree on a compromise of sorts." Kyreg nodded in agreement.

The officer would call the soldiers to attention, and marched back to their front before leading them into the city. Kyreg chuckled underneath his helmet and stepped forward, the two Sisters behind him carrying their injured compatriots.

The city had its inhabitants curiously looking out at the procession of Imperials, the citizens dressed in an odd assortment of clothing. Some seemed to be work related clothing while others were dressed more casually. Kyreg took in the details as they marched. The closer to the palace they got, the better dressed everyone became. Every so often he would see soldiers in red uniforms instead of the grey, carrying auto pistols and truncheons looking at them curiously. The local constabulary then. Kyreg thought to himself. At the same time, the local nobility wore heavy jewellery and seemed to be openly starring at them, some with curiosity while others stared in disgust. Tall buildings with domes on top with an odd symbol could be seen every few blocks. A large circle with triangles around it. The symbol could also been seen on a few people who wore trinkets and necklaces with that design on it. That made the Astarte uneasy. Any odd religious symbols just might cause them issues later down the road.

The massive was a massive marble structure with gold and silver metals inlayed into the structure, accenting corners as well as the various doorways that covered the palace. Guards there seemed to wear a royal purple uniform instead of the grey or the red, with onyx trim on them. They carried the same type of long barreled rifles with silver bayonets attached. Waiting for them was a large platoon of soldiers. The officer stepped forward and exchanged a few words with the officer in charge of the palace guards. White uniformed medical officials could be seen approaching. They would look at each patient and gestured for those carrying them to follow them. A long wide building with a green cross as a symbol was where they would lead them, for medical assistance.

"The gentleman here will escort you the rest of the way." The officer then bowed and quickly returned to the head of the soldiers and led them away. Kyreg looked at the palace guards who seemed to be equipped with the same sort of equipment as the grey uniformed soldiers but with higher end trimming on their gear. Typical palace peacocks, he decided. He already knew what to expect from the ruling class here, the fact that they waited for the battle to be decided to open the gates spoke volumes of what sort of leaders they were. He had seen many planets like this one, where those in power ruled to benefit themselves financially more than anything else, while the lower classes were kept down and barely alive in order to produce more profit for the rulers. It was not just mortals; he had seen Astartes who had become greedy after sipping on the goblet of kingship and found it to their liking. He had met many who had forsaken their oaths to the Emperor, and yet did not quite turn to Chaos. Instead they chose to become a ruler of mortals, and create their own fiefdom in the universe, a planet where their augmented body and their force of personality gave them the ability and power no mortal could match. Kyreg was the head of the procession that followed the palace guards into the castle. The gate would open to a massive courtyard lined with soldiers in almost every corner and door, before they entered the inside of the castle proper where massive corridors with suits of ancient armour, as well as paintings of individuals with stern looks on their face. Rich carpentry covered the floors, and those that were not covered by the red carpets were covered with marble, their surfaces gleaming. More guards could be seen, although now the guards seemed to wear a bright silver cuirassier along with a thicker barreled rifle that rested at their shoulder.

The corridor opened up and soon revealed a massive hall that lead to the throne. The soldiers would march in through the open doorway before the formation split into two, both lines of troops moving off to the sides and forming what can be assumed to be their original formation in the throne room. There were various court officials there as well, and the throne. Sitting on the throne was a pale man with bright intelligent blue eyes and a neat crown that was worth more than the rest of the throne room with gems and the like. He had a neatly trimmed goatee as well as a long opened cape on, a more ceremonial piece of clothing perhaps than the more suitable military cut uniform on underneath in the same colours as the palace guard. Kyreg looked at the man for a few moments as the others all stepped forward. The King rose and held his arms open towards them.

"Welcome to Memlock, my humble planet. I am King Judimen the III. And I thank you for defeating the other warriors from the skies, we have had much trouble from them in the past. And I honour your sacrifices that you have made. Please my friends, tell me of who you are and where you come from."

The words were spoken eloquently, and with a clear marked accent, similar to that of the officer that had spoken to them earlier. Albert stepped forward and bowed lowly, the Rogue Trader accustomed to meeting strangers in positions of power. Kyreg smiled slightly underneath his helmet; this was the reason why the XX Legion had so many human agents. It was a balance of power. No king would ever feel truly powerful and secure in his kingdom if an Astarte was the leader speaking to him. But another human, then it was a completely different story.

"Your Majesty, I thank you humbly for your gracious welcome. We come from the Imperium. And our ship was attacked by the raiders and we would appreciate if we were allowed time to recuperate from our battles so that we may leave for our home land. I am Captain Albert Hinrich the II, and I am a bearer of a Writ of Trade, a certified space farer and trader for the Imperium." Albert bowed again, the King seemingly impressed with the pomp of his title.

"Ah yes, we have had those like you, those with a Writ of Trade that have landed here before good sir. As for Memlock, we have no desire to travel the stars. We find that the planet provides for us what we need, although my ancestors did come here from the stars at a much earlier point. I thank you again good Sir. Now, the matter of your military forces.. no insult is intended but I hope that you will be able to confine them to a suitable barracks for the time being? I do not believe a military force is needed here in the capital region, we are quite stable and security is not a problem. I believe there is a large barracks just outside of the palace that is not being used for the moment, I trust that it will be satisfactory? Of course the Colonel of my Household Regiment will be more familiar with the details and I will leave it to him." At his words, an older officer with a monocle would snap to attention in his knee high polished leather boots and bow in acknowledgement.

The King eyed the Astarte and the two Sisters of Battle that acted as his life guards for a moment. He was intelligent enough to not say anything directly although Kyreg was sure that later on, he would question the Rogue Trader about them. It was not difficult at all of course to provide a sufficiently believable story. At the same time, it was of course expected that the Rogue Trader would be in close proximity to the King, if for nothing else than for the King to gain political prestige by keeping the new visitor close.

Albert bowed again and smiled charmingly. "You are too kind your Majesty. I hope that we will have the chance to converse more later on, and I can repay your kindness in some manner." The King would smile and gestured towards the Colonel. "Colonel Hrofell will show you to the barracks and work out the details of the barracking arrangement. I believe it would be perhaps an excellent opportunity for a cultural exchange if you were to join me for dinner tonight." Albert smiled at the King and bowed again. "You honour me, your Majesty. I will gladly accept." With a smooth charming smile, the King would dismiss them with a wave of his hand, and Albert would lead the Imperials out of the castle where the Colonel had arranged for a company of Palace guards to escort them. The barracks were quite close, only a fifteen minute walk there, and it was in decent condition.

"I'm afraid that with such short notice, certain things are not up to the usual standard you see, but I hope that you will be able to make do." Colonel Hrofell said to Albert, the Rogue Trader nodding sympathetically. "It can't be helped Colonel, I'm sure you have much better things to do with your time than to deal with simple housekeeping after all. You have a standard to maintain in your fine regiment." The Colonel bowed slightly with thanks at the Rogue Traders words. "You are too kind, we only live to serve the King."

The barracks seemed to have been made to quarter an entire regiment, with shared rooms of four bunk beds meaning that each room housed eight. They were set with colour markings that were slightly faded, perhaps company markings at some point that billeted each company on a specific wing. With their personnel, two wings were taken on the first floor while Lieutenant Klara discreetly instructed a few of the riflemen to head up to the roof to see if they could establish a covert observation position, just in case. Kyreg walked through the hallways, they were tall enough that he did not need to duck to walk through any of the doorways, although they were still smaller than he was used to.

"Our host is hiding something." He said as he walked into the room where Albert as well as the Warrant Officer and Lieutenant were in. Albert thought about it for a moment. "Most Kings usually do, I think. In fact, I feel as if he is deliberately trying to hide something that he doesn't want us to know. He was too.. polite. Too welcoming to a group of strangers that were armed." Kyreg nodded, the two Sisters had been sent out to the medical building to check on the other injured Sisters, while Gunnery Sergeant Feldman had gone with them to check on his injured troops. "What I find odd is that the planet was settled by the Imperium a few millennia ago, and yet at the same time now, the planet bears no trace of Imperial rule." Lieutenant Klara made a slight face at the last comment. "I'm willing to bet that if we dug in their history, they'll talk about how they rose over their oppressors and placed their King to rule instead of the tyrants previous. Whatever Imperial government that was here, they were most likely removed by force." Kyreg smiled at the naval officer. "I find myself agreeing with you, Lieutenant. However it seems that they have more troops at the palace than we do total. Which also raises a good question; we saw three different uniforms in one area. Grey uniformed soldiers, red uniformed soldiers who seemed to be the local version of Arbiters, as well the palace guards in purple with the silver breastplates. Why so many different factions in one city? I think that's something that should be investigated."

That night, a horse carriage was sent to the barracks, with a small honour guard made up of the palace guards. Albert was escorted in by the Warrant Officer and a small squad of his veteran Grenadiers, who wore their blue uniforms with the dark blue segmented carapace armour. They kept their helmets on but they carried their hot shot las guns at order arms, walking behind the carriage while the purple uniformed palace guards walked at the front, moving people aside and keeping the carriage moving until it reached the palace. Once they arrived, the carriage door was opened for Albert who stepped out with the Warrant Officer who had replaced his las carbine with instead just the usual large calibre revolver at his side as well as a short naval style power saber. The Palace guard as well as the former Dnieper Grenadiers all stood at attention outside of the entrance way while the Rogue Trader was lead in. Albert would hand his peaked cap to Skultz after he walked through the entrance, as well as the naval jacket he wore to reveal a simple blue uniformed dress uniform cut outfit. Warrant Officer Skultz kept a few steps back from the Rogue Trader as the white uniformed steward lead them through the various hallways past the throne room to a private dining room where the King was already waiting. In the room itself, there were no guards, only a small serving table, a door way to the kitchen and a set of couches along with a dining table that would sit six people or so.

"Please, have a seat my honoured guest." The King arose and smiled while Albert would walk up and bowed towards him. "Thank you, your Majesty. This truly is an impeccable dining room, I must applaud your tastes." Two stewards appeared from the kitchen, and they would pull the seats out for the two diners, and after they were seated, crystal carafes with cold water was produced and poured into one of the glasses. A third steward would arrive with a decanter of a dark amber liquid and poured a generous measure into each of the crystal tumblers in front of them. "I hope that you like this brandy I have chosen. It comes from a sweet white wine from our northern regions that is then distilled three times to create a rather fortifying drink." Albert smiled and picked up a glass, holding the glass up to the King. "A toast to you, your Majesty. For your generosity as well as your obvious royal capabilities." The King smiled and held up his glass, the two clinking their crystal tumblers together and taking a sip. Albert found the liquor to be quite good, although at the same time very rich. The first course was served, a large plate with generously portioned bivalves steamed with a buttery savoury sauce. The King shucked his rather expertly, using a spare shell to scrape the delicate flesh from the shells. The Rogue Trader would taste one and nod in approval. "Your kitchen staff is truly excellent, your Majesty. I have not tasted something like this since to be frank, ever." The King beamed at the compliments, and nodded with graciousness. "I consider that to be a compliment as you have had the galaxy to explore and find my humble kitchen so wonderful." The two spoke of various subjects, of nobility, of the difficulties of ruling, and of course about the pain it was to deal with noble subjects.

The second course was brought in by different stewards, each holding a plate of seared white fish medallions drizzled with herbed white oil and garnished with a few small round fruits. It was done quite well, and Albert found himself wondering how he could convince the King's Chef to perhaps follow him to the stars. He dismissed the thought as soon as he thought it, knowing that such a thing would be more likely to provoke war than anything else.

"I hope you enjoy seafood my dear Trader, I have a personal affinity towards it. As a prince, I often enjoyed fishing in the lakes of the palace grounds and I was lucky to enjoy my catches soon after. Even to this day, I demand that the fish be caught only hours earlier." Albert smiled at the King's statement, and perhaps naivety. Perhaps the King had not seen the squalor of the outer rings of the city? Or more likely, he had and decided it didn't matter to him truly. Such a thing would not be a surprise after all. With the white fish medallions, the stewards had poured a chilled white wine into long thin crystal fluted glasses for them to sample as well.

"I hope that we will be able to establish a good relationship good sir, I believe that it is a venture that could prove to be quite rewarding. Especially as I have often thought about the purchase of certain other goods to better my kingdom." The King would give the Rogue Trader a knowing look of sorts, Albert understanding the implications at once. It was after all, about arms. As he was about to ask for more specifics, the sound of an explosion could be heard from the outside of the city, the sound ringing its way past the streets and to the palace itself. Suddenly, the loud cracks of rifles could be heard as well as yells. The door was opened by the Colonel of the Palace guards whose face was red with the exertion of running to the dining room.

"Your Majesty, the rebels have used explosives to blow up one of the guard towers of the wall, and have blown a hole through the east wall."


	28. Chapter 28

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 28_**

The rebels wore no common uniform, the only common elements being the bolt action rifles as well as the double barrel shotguns that they carried. It was a combination it seems of both rural and city folks, each firing in their large crowds that swarmed past the city gates. The grey uniformed soldiers would form firing lines and they fired as fast as they could, working the bolt action and firing into the large crowds while the red uniformed constables fired their revolvers into the crowd. Neither truly proved to be effective when presented with an enemy that swarmed over them like an ocean, and many soldiers were shot at point blank with double barrel shotguns or beaten down with the butts of the various long guns that were wielded by the insurgents.

The king rushed out from the dining room, Albert following him as the King headed out towards the balcony where he would look out from a small decorated battlement overlooking the city and see the crowds of people surging forward. Some were stopped with desperate bayonet charges or exceptionally well drilled units that were able to fire at much higher speeds than many of the conscripts that were only rudimentarily trained. The palace guards had moved to the various gates and defensive points of the palace, their bolt action rifles of a much larger caliber than the grey uniformed soldiers, but they held their fire awaiting commands from their officers. King Judimen looked pale faced and gulped audibly, while Albert stood impassively behind him. He knew that his own troops were competently led and would defend their barracks effectively. Plus, he had a Space Marine on his side, and two Sisters of Battle. Behind Albert stood the squad of Grenadiers lead by the Warrant Officer, with their hotshot lasguns at much more of a practical grip than the ceremonial one previous to these events.

At the barracks, Lieutenant Klara had already given the order to Gunnery Sergeant Feldman to ready the men. Sniper teams on the roof top had already spotted the commotion but so far, there were no clear victors as in some areas, the skirmishers broke through only to be met with more lead from reinforcing units while in other areas, the rebels and the city troops were just trading ineffective fire across market squares and other areas where neither side was willing to charge the other one down. The heavy weapon teams were sent to the second floor where the heavy bolters and plasma guns were aimed out the windows. Rifle squads were sent to reinforce the first floor as well as flame thrower teams, while sniper teams chose windows up top or the roof. Kyreg decided to forgo charging ahead and simply stood in the ground floor, the Sisters having not yet returned. He made a decision quickly and gestured for the Lieutenants attention.

"Lieutenant, I will take a squad of Grenadiers to the medical facility. Our wounded are there, and need to be secured." The Lieutenant bobbed her head, understanding his logic and quickly gave the necessary orders. A few minutes later, a squad of the carapace armoured veterans appeared with their gear already on, their squad leader nodding respectfully to the Astarte.

Briefing them quickly, hotshot las guns were quickly checked over and Kyreg lead them over to the medical building. He chose a path closest to the palace, avoiding many of the skirmish points, and was able to get to the medical building quickly. When he arrived, there were many grey uniformed soldiers there who had begun to secure the building. They would wave him and the Grenadiers with him through, more concerned about if the rebels would be able to break through. Of course, he saw this for what it was. The hordes of armed militia were only a distraction; no armed militia was capable of surgically blowing up a guard tower undetected, and then being able to use explosives to precisely cut apart a wall to create a hole large enough for an entire crowd of rebels to charge through. He smiled and sent a message to Albert's bodyguards. "Be on the lookout. The real target is the King."

His warning came in time too, for as soon as Warrant Officer Skultz heard the words, he would give the order and they would turn around and check the throne room. Sure enough, an explosion could be heard as a frag grenade was tossed in downstairs. A sharp staccato of gunfire could be heard, something from an automatic auto gun was swept over the guards downstairs. Ignoring the cries of pain, the assailants would sweep through the dining room and would have found the King an easy target if not for the unexpected element. The Grenadiers fired their hotshot lasguns into the assailants, who each bore bandoliers of grenades as well as small compact auto pistols with wire stocks and large capacity magazines. Of course the auto pistols were not the most accurate but made up for it in the pure firepower that they provided. Of course when met with the precision bursts of overcharged las bolts, the assailants were cut down quickly, holes being blown in their bodies by the powerful hotshot bolts that swept through them in tight bursts. A grenade was touched off by a hotshot bolt and exploded, although the King as well as the Rogue Trader were both kept safe by the Warrant Officer as well as another Grenadier grabbing them both and shoving them down to the ground while laying their own bodies over them as cover. The King looked stunned, while the Palace Guards charged into the room where the assailants were nothing more than just smears of blood and body parts at this point.

King Judimen looked at the now shot up dining room and gasped lightly as he was pulled up by one of the Palace guards. Albert looked at the bodies, and wondered at how the Astarte Commander had known that someone would be coming for the King.

Kyreg received a reply from Skultz, a thank you and a quick sitrep on what had happened. The Astarte sighed softly underneath his helmet, having been met inside by the two other Sisters who were tending to their injured compatriots. Catriona cocked her head slightly at the Commander who looked at her wordlessly; a conversation in more secure settings perhaps. The other two Sisters had been patched up, although they still needed recovery time. Quite a few of Albert's personal troops also needed the same. It was something which Kyreg had anticipated, after all you do not come off unscathed when you fight Astartes, no matter who you are. The massive scar underneath his breastplate just underneath his two hearts are a testament to that.

"Albert. You need to extract, now." He sent the message quickly, and received an acknowledgement from the Rogue Trader while the Warrant Officer grabbed the Rogue Trader by the scruff of his outfit and began dragging him out as the Grenadiers around them held their weapons at the high ready, and began moving back out through the castle. The Palace Guards were hauling the King right behind them, the Palace Guard commander deciding that perhaps following the lead of the off worlders just might be their ticket to survival. As they stepped through the doors leading from the dining room into the main hallway that lead to the throne room, they came under heavy fire from a group of insurgents dressed in what looked like farmers outfits but were clearly much more than that. With a mixture of bolt action rifles as well as snub nosed auto pistols with wire framed stocks, they seemed to look surprised at the King still alive as well as the stranger escorted by the Grenadiers. Before they were able to react however, the blue uniformed Grenadiers opened fire, their accuracy quite impressive even when on the move in part thanks to the inertial dampeners and gyro-stabilizers installed on their hotshot las rifles, and searing blasts of hot shot las bolts blew chunks out of the insurgents. It was added in with the louder roar of the large calibre bolt action rifles of the palace guards, although their accuracy was far less impressive. However soon the insurgents took cover and began to return fire, although Skultz quickly tossed a smoke grenade into the center of the hallway, and another one further down and the two canisters hissed as they deployed the large clouds of heavy white smoke that flooded the hallways and beyond. Every Grenadier activated their IR goggles, and began to fire. After a few moments, the blinded insurgents were all cut down by pinpoint fired hotshot bolts through the smoke screen, and Albert was dragged once again towards the exit.

The King gasped as he was dragged out of the smoke screen by the palace guards, looking around at the two dozen or so dead insurgents all around the palace and paled. Without any hesitation, Skultz quickly radioed Lieutenant Klara, and the situation was explained to her. With a rather grim face, she quickly gave orders to two platoons of their troops who quickly exited the building with their las carbines and made for the palace. At each intersection to create a screen, a squad was spread out in cover amongst the intersection, to create a link of armed soldiers to the palace itself. Squad leaders gave orders as the radio clattered with their communications.

"2-2 Set. 2-3 Set. 2-4 Set. Cordon set. 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, set position on intersections just west of objective site, touch east of 2-4 over."

"3-1 roger, wilco. 3-5 will set in building beside 3-2, will set overwatch. 3-1 is moving to objective to conduct primary escort. Request 2-5 establish overwatch as well to cover southern approach, as 3-5 will cover northern approach, over."

"2-1 acknowledge. Sending 2-5 over now, give confirmation when objective is eyes on. Callsign 4 is standing by just in case reinforcement is needed, and Callsigns 9-0 and 9-1 have eyes on our screen, feel free to call for long range support if needed, over."

"3-1, roger. Will have eyes on in 02 mikes, out."

The well drilled former droptroopers quickly set up their protective screens, the third platoon lead squad quickly moving to the palace after the last squad was set up at the intersection. The Grenadiers, seeing them quickly waved at them and began moving, while following behind them were the King and a large portion of palace guards who felt their best move was to keep following the Rogue Trader. It seemed however, the attack had ebbed off after the death of the insurgent commando team that struck at the palace itself, and Albert was extracted without any issues, along with King Judimen.

In the barracks, security was tightened up. A twenty four hour watch rotation as fully established, and the city was treated as a combat zone as the Memlock soldiers still fought to re-establish some semblance of order in the city. The city itself was massive, the main hub of the planet as there was not much but small townships and villages around the rest of the planet. All around the city itself, various nobles tried to seize power, their own troops fighting against the insurgents as well as the Memlock army to try and establish their own fiefdoms as they believed the city had fallen to lawlessness. Throughout the night, the sounds of gunshots could be heard, the city itself devoid of any real semblance of order except for the barracks as well as the defensive lines that the constabulary and the army were able to establish.

Kyreg had returned to the barracks, their wounded transported there as well for security reasons. With them came a small team of doctors and medical assistants who wasted no time in turning the medical section of the barracks back to working order, while the Legion Commander would step out onto by himself in the city. He would adjust his helmet vox to a channel that he had not used for a few millennia, and sent a series of coordinates. The coordinates was a small hill top outside of the city gates, and he set up a time. Midnight the day after. It was a guess that he made as to how the attack on the palace came about, and it reminded him of something.

The day after, the city fighting had inexplicably calmed down, with the rebels pulling back to various positions in the city, setting up a defensive line over the breaches in the city walls. At the same time, the army troops began to reinforce around various positions of strength and the strongholds that they still held. Belt felt stubbers were sandbagged and set up while light artillery was also wheeled in, pushed in by soldiers to the various lines, a combination of 37mm to 75mm direct fire artillery with gun shields wheeled in by horses and set up at the front lines. While snipers exchanged sporadic fire, no real skirmish or attacks occurred it seemed. The various nobles began to hold on to their sections tightly, their preciously captured areas around their estates held by their few hundred or so household troops with mostly light weapons.

That night, Kyreg was already waiting, and he would sit on top of the hill but concealed by the various bushes around as well as a rock formation. With his back to the higher mountains, he sat in his armour, fully helmed and waited. His stalker combi-bolter sat in his lap, and midnight soon came. After a few seconds, a single figure stepped onto the plateau, armed with a stalker bolter as well while he scanned around. Kyreg stood up and walked towards the armoured figure, the two of them staring at each other for a moment. The other figure was dressed in a set of Mark III armour, although painted in turquoise with silver trim around the armour. The stalker bolter held in his right hand was painted the same way. On his left pauldron was a single silver hydra head coiled around a large stylized Alpha and Omega symbol. On his breastplate were stylized silver chains erupting from the top left downwards, three chains with seven loops on it. It was similar to the breastplate that Kyreg wore, although Kyreg had a single chain of eight loops that ran across his breastplate. The two looked at each other, before the figure in front of him took off his helmet. Kyreg did the same, and he saw a face similar to his. Bald, clean shaven, with turquoise eyes.

"Well met brother.. of the 21st." Kyreg stated as he clamped his stalker bolter to his side. The figure did the same and bowed his head slightly. "Commander of the 8th. Well met." It was as Kyreg had thought, a XX Legionnaire was behind the chaos and the attack on the planet.

"You called for a meet, a neutral meeting between us?" Kyreg nodded. "Very well. I am Captain Kunitz, leader of the 21st. Or what remains."

"I am Commander Kyreg, of the 8th. Of what remains." The two both smiled bitter smiles, each formerly having been a few hundred in size, of multiple companies and strike teams while now, it was rare to find one that could field a whole company. The Legion had disintegrated into various commands and splinter cells. It was what the Genefathers had wanted, but it was done too well. Individual agendas clouded over collective strategy and now, each Harrow or Shroud was its own singular organization, separate from each other.

"I wish to know why you are attempting to overthrow the King here." The Captain smiled thinly for a moment. "Because brother, do you not tire of living being chased down like hounds? And do you not seek to find a single sanctuary for yourself and what remains of your own? The King here is a fool, the technology level here abysmal. It is through here that the 21st will rebuild, and recreate a home world again. Hidden away underneath the surface of this planet, the 21st can thrive while the mortals above are ruled by our Proxy."

Kyreg nodded, he could understand the Captains reasoning. It was no different than Tyven V, it had become a pseudo home world, except he did not seek to rule it. It was the same objective accomplished through two different means. "I can understand your sentiments Captain. I do see the logic of your task here. However, I would ask you. What do you intend to do if you can find a way to rebuild the 21st?"

Kunitz looked at the Commander for a moment. "That is not an easy question to answer brother, and you and I both know that. There is always much promise of power in the primordial powers. But it is to prevent that is it not, that our genefathers made the choice that they did? The Imperium sickens me. Truly. It is not what the Emperor would have wished, but I have no desire to become a renegade either. I am what I have been for the past millennia. I will simply rebuild and perhaps find a way to retain our rich history. It will have to be enough to rule over this world, and rebuild. Bit by bit. We lack geneseeds, and suits of armour. We have been marooned on this planet for more than three decades. I suppose I must find a way to rebuild."

Kyreg nodded as he looked out over the city. "You might as well call for the rest of the 21st to reveal themselves. I have already sensed them here."

The Captain looked at him, impressed but gave a signal over the vox and from behind various points of concealment, five other Astartes revealed themselves. Each had their weapons drawn, although it was not aimed at him. Kyreg nodded at them, as they looked at him cautiously, his own weapon clamped to the side of his armour. They wore the same colours and armour that the Captain wore, the exception being that one of them had a Sergeants insignia, three chains gilded over the top of his helmet with an emerald green backing. "I would ask you then to reveal your own."

Kyreg smiled at the Captain and shook his head. "I came alone, Captain. I do not begrudge you your caution. I however brought no one."

"I believe you, brother. You are not unknown to me, although when I had heard of your name you were still a Captain that commanded a lethal strike force that was favoured Shroud of one of our Genefathers." Kyreg laughed at the Captains words and bowed politely. "I'm flattered, Captain. The 21st are not unknown to me either, sending individual Astartes onto planets in order to bring it into compliance. A lone Astarte to send a planet into destruction, before an invasion even takes place." The Captain smiled and nodded. "We of the 21st, we do not possess battle tanks nor do we possess legions of Stealth teams and Kill teams as the 8th does. But we possess unique skills honed from millennial of a shadow war, and this is our specialty. In a single day, we have broken down the gates of the city, and we seek to remove the King from power. So what is your stance then brother? Are you against us or are you for us?"

Kyreg thought about it for a moment and then looked at the Captain. "My answer depends on yours Captain. You hold distaste for the Imperium as do I. However, I ask you this question that I expect full honesty from. Is it Emperor before Legion, or is it Legion before Emperor?"

The Captain looked at him for a moment and then smiled. "The 21st has always, always been for the Emperor." Kyreg chuckled lightly, as he remembered the words said by the Genefather once upon a time. "Then you remain true to the Trefoil and the Emperor?" The Captain nodded. "Those of the 21st who did not, they departed. I will not shed the blood of brothers, especially as the XX Legion walked down the path of renegades a long time ago. I myself have done almost the same. I have killed Imperials over the years out of necessity but so far, I have not lost my loyalties to the Emperor. I suppose the only true path we have left is to remember why the Legion walked down this path." Kyreg nodded in agreement. "Then I will not stand in your path. However, I will make something clear to you. I will not stand in your path but I will not assist you either. So make the kill a clean one." The Captain bowed slightly in thanks and smiled, before the two shook hands and each side departed from the hill top.

Kyreg returned to the barracks in the morning, and he smiled as he saw that the Rogue Traders troops around the barracks had kept alert. Once inside, he would gesture for Catriona as well as Albert to follow him into a separate room. The two looked at him rather curiously as he looked at them. "Where is the King now?"

"Back at his own castle, Lord. Why do you ask?" Kyreg nodded. "Captain, I wish for every single one of your troops to remain here. We will not be providing any assistance to the King, even if he asks for it." Catriona looked at him curiously. "I cannot have this spread beyond this room. I want this to be understood." Both of them looked at him with more curiously but they nodded in assent.

"The attack last night, was the work of my brothers." Catriona simply nodded at the news, while Albert looked shocked. "Why would they wish to attack the King here?"

"Conquest, my friend. They wish to claim this planet for their own. I met with their leader last night, and I have decided that this is agreeable." Albert chewed on his bottom lips for a moment while Catriona simply smiled and nodded. "I am not surprised, Commander. If you had not given the warning, the King would not have survived. I had assumed that perhaps you recognized the attack." Kyreg nodded. "I did. It is a common enough tactic, I have used it in the past as well to defeat a dug in enemy. Whatever happens, tell your soldiers not to fire Captain unless they are fired upon. The King will not survive another night." Albert simply nodded although he sighed softly. "I knew that we could not allow the King to rule for the rest of his life, but I did not think this moment would come so soon. Kyreg nodded curtly.

"Your brothers. Do you mean of the XX?" Catriona asked, tilting her head slightly. "Yes. They are of another Harrow. I spoke to their leader last night, and I found his argument agreeable. The King must be removed, regardless. Who does it, matters not. They will seek to rule by proxy, and so we will allow them to do so. Regardless, it matters little who rules this planet. If we allow a friendly government to us installed, then we can use this planet in the future for resupply if we need to."

That night in the pitch black of night, six Astartes wrapped in cameoline cloaks were escorted in by a large crowd of militia, and the fighting started all over again. The King's soldiers were kept busy on all sides, even as they fired their light guns and sent shells into the crowds lines, accurate marksmanship kept the soldiers heads down as well while the six Astartes followed by over two hundred human troops easily overran an undefended flank that had oddly been marked falsely by a unit that did not exist on the officers maps and infiltrated through. The palace guards put up a fight but they were cut down rather quickly by the auto pistols wielded by the insurgents or by bolter fire. The odd howl of a plasma gun could be heard as well as the loud roar of an Umbra Ferrox bolter being fired on fully automatic. By dawn, the King's colours had been torn down from the flag pole, and a different person sat on the throne. The Astartes were nowhere to be found but the remaining soldiers that still fought for the King surrendered and were taken in to prisoner camps.

Almost overnight, it seemed that a new group of soldiers had taken over. Dressed in more sensible fatigues and armed somehow with las rifles, the soldiers had the entire city under lock down. Waiting outside of the gates already were artisans and builders who had materials and tools ready, as well as massive work crews sent to repair the damages caused by the intense fighting that had occurred previously. In many ways, it almost seemed to be planned down to the smallest details. Food shipments had appeared from the cellars and larders of the various nobles who had tried to carve out their own fiefdom, the noble families wiped out to a man. Those that had not were sent letters of congratulations to their new titles, replacing those that had been wiped out by the green and grey fatigued soldiers. The new ruler made his speech that night from the palace balcony, a tall grey haired man of a strong military bearing in a plain suit. He spoke of how everything has regressed on the planet, of how the King's weak rule had given the nobles more power over the individual citizens, and how it was a shame that the planet had only one major city when it could have many major cities across the globe. He spoke of how he intended to rule Memlock and bring the standards of living higher, and how he sought to rehabilitate the city back to what it could be.

Kyreg watched all this and chuckled slightly. The campaign was quite well planned, he had to admit that. The new ruler was a good operative, and on his tactical map, he would mark down Memlock as a potential future supply site. He looked out the window and chuckled slightly, as statues of the Emperor were brought in, and placed in places which formerly held statues of past rulers and the like. Back into the Imperial Fold, that was at least something that the Captain had done.

That night, the soldiers on duty saw a lone armoured figure that walked up to the barracks and handed them a note, meant for Kyreg. It was promptly delivered to the Legion Commander, and it had a simple message on it. He chuckled after reading the message and asked the guards to let him in and show him to one of the sequestered rooms. He would meet the armoured Astarte there, and saw that it was Kunitz himself.

"You were as good as your word, Commander." Kyreg nodded. "Of course. And you were as good as yours. I see the statues of the Emperor are finally gracing this town again." Kunitz nodded after a moment. "I have to admit, that was not a planned action. After speaking to you, it made me think of quite a few things. It reminded me of the fervour that the 21st used to have as we made war on the stars themselves in His name. This world will be restored to the Emperor. With time, I believe that this will be knit back into the Imperial fold. I thought about what you said as well. As to how we will rebuild. Quite frankly, I have no idea. It seems however, that you might."

Kyreg shrugged lightly as he undid his helmet and placed it on the desk. "There are others like me, Captain. Others whose parent Legions no longer follow the Imperial Truth. You know of the Legions I speak of, those that have forgotten and discarded their dues to the Emperor. There are many from these Legions, including ours that have united together under me."

Kunitz stayed quiet so Kyreg continued on. "Do you ask to join me, Captain? Or do you ask me for assistance? I am currently without a ship, and waiting on my faction. What about you? Do you seek to build your own ship then perhaps?"

Kunitz shook his head. "I have no means of building a ship. As for joining you, that I do not know. I have no desire to let the 21st disappear into the pages of history. But your assistance is required."

The Legion Commander nodded. "When my ship comes for me, I will not forget to take you on board then. We will drop you off to a planet of your choice, or you can make a decision to journey with us temporarily. Until you can find a way to claim your own ship and crew again." The Captain nodded. "There are also large quantities of recruits from here that we wish to claim. Those that have served with us, I am sure there are many that can be trained as crew. And those that can be trained as potential recruits." Kyreg nodded in agreement. He had received earlier confirmation that the retrieval squadron was already close.

A siren sounded in the barracks, and Kyreg looked at the Captain. "No, that is not my doing." He nodded and the two Astartes ran out of the sequestered room, towards where many of the troops were gathered. Up above the sky, it was lit by the presence of a single ship.

The Corsair Prince looked down at the mon'keigh planet and made a face. "Truly, Farseer. You sensed the elder stones here? This planet is nothing."

Lilithfeon nodded as she focused her mind on the planet. She had followed it, and tracked it to this planet. The soul stones cried out to her mind and had travelled through various points in the void. Behind her stood the Exarchs of her strike force as well as Corsair warriors, large squads of Rangers as well as Voidstorm and Lasblaster Aeldari troops that had weapons waiting. It had taken them a long time but they had finally found them, the elder soul stones that had been on Tyven V that they had strove so hard to prevent from losing to the Ruinous powers but it seems that the Chaos worshippers had lost on the planet, and been driven out. Yet the skeins of fate could not tell her more of how the soul stones had arrived here. The vast majority of it, they had recovered from Tyven V, they were left unguarded and simply left in an armoured mon'keigh vehicle but what was missing were the ten elder stones, stones of inconceivable power that housed the souls of millennia old Aeldari. She would complete her objectives, even if it would seal her to travel with Galamon for the next century.

Kyreg smiled a little, as he knew why the Eldar were here. He had wanted answers from the Eldar, and this was how he was going to bait them in. The trap had been laid, and the Eldar had flown right into it.


	29. Chapter 29

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 29_**

The Eldar warship entered the atmosphere, almost in disdain of the life forms that populated the planet. The cruiser hovered in the stratosphere; it's presence for the entire planet to see almost as if the Eldar were daring the Imperials to do anything about it. Galamon looked out the view ports with the practiced eye of a seasoned Corsair Prince and gestured to one of the crew members. We have air supremacy. Deploy our transports.

The air docks would open, revealing a single Vampire Raider but two transport vessels that would quickly launch out from the docks, filled with Lasblaster squads. The Voidstorm veterans awaited the Corsair Prince who bowed in a grandiose gesture towards Lilithfeon. After you, Lady Farseer. She nodded curtly as the remaining Aspect Warriors surrounded her in an escort and headed on board the Vampire Raider along with Galamon and his bodyguard squad. Once inside, with a soft purr the raider would deploy and follow the transport vessels down. The spirit signatures, they come from that city. However we cannot strike it directly, not yet. We must draw them out. The Corsair prince nodded at her assessment. The Pathfinders will deploy then, and we shall turn the forests around them into odes of their funeral rites. Wrafenblyde stated as he clutched the sniper rifle in his hands tightly for a moment. The death of one of his pupils was still fresh even after the past few years since they had started their journey together. Lilithfeon nodded as she placed a hand delicately on the cloaked shoulder of the veteran Pathfinder. You have my blessing old friend, the skeins have predicted great feats for you today. The Pathfinder nodded and the Vampire Raider would lower itself and hover just slightly off the ground before Wrafenblyde and his remaining pupil jumped off and activated their grav thrusters, landing with a gentle ease on the ground before they made for the forests. At the same time, the two transport vessels landed and disgorged their cargo as multiple squads of Lasblasters exited and took up positions. A third vessel that took off after the Vampire Raider would land as well and dismounted large quantities of cameoline cloaked Rangers that made their way to the battle line and inserted themselves at the flanks and probed forward slowly and cautiously.

The Vampire Raider landed with a grace that belied its size, the ramp lowering before Yiliea and her Dire Avengers dismounted first, their shuriken catapults aimed around them, forming a crescent around the gunship before Constafrenin and Iosifine dismounted as well, the Aeldari heavy weapons being readied with soft hums that were a stark contrast to the devastation that could be caused by them. Galamon was the last to exit, surrounded by his Voidstorm veterans armed with power sabers and fusion blasters, and a large assortment of melta bombs. The Corsair Prince himself was armed with a long mirror sword and a fusion pistol, an exotic combination of weapons from two different Aeldari Aspects. Let us engage the enemy from afar, and funnel them into our true kill zones. The Farseer ordered, Constafrenin and Iosifine both nodding and readying their individual Aspect Warriors forward, further through the clearing and closer to the battle lines. Once there, they readied their weapons as Reaper missile launchers were fine tuned and Hololights were activated, with each aspect warrior acknowledging the joint targeting system.

With an oddly calm pause, the Dark Reapers and Shadow Spectres opened fire. In the first few seconds, hundreds of Reaper missiles were fired while high powered blasts of energy seared through various fortifications that had been roughly set up in the mean time. Sandbags were turned into half melted glass and half destroyed burlap and sand while infantry positions were hit from multiple projectiles that detonated with loud crumps. An occasional high pitched whine could be heard as a hyper sonic projectile was fired by Wrafenblyde or his pupil that pulped a human soldier behind a cannon or a heavy weapon.

Contact reports came from all side of the city walls as multiple Eldar strike teams hit the dug in positions hard, and fast. An occasional skilled marksman was able to pick off an attacking Eldar warrior, but it was rare and the marksman was often killed quickly by blasts of las beams fired by the strike teams. The only places that were able to hold out more effectively were those centered around the infantry field guns, that loaded up canister rounds and fired a devastating blast into any attacks by the Eldar, but those were fed on bodies as Eldar marksmen picked off any who got behind one of the guns, the gun crews being able to fire off a single shot at most before they were picked off. The light artillery that had the solid metal gun shield around them fared better, until blue blasts of high heat energy seared through them after a few hits and compromised the protection offered by the gun shields. From the city walls itself, light mortar teams began to return fire, their positions at least hidden away from the Eldar attacks for now, each mortar smoking as round after round was fired, the high explosive shells landing into the treeline and sending shrapnel everywhere.

"We need a shock assault to dislodge them!" One of the officers called out and various men were quickly grouped together. Armed with their las rifles and with bayonets fixed, multiple platoons were quickly organized and readied. As some of the heavier field guns were brought into firing positions, a massive barrage was fired into the treelines, even though the Aeldari had retreated far behind them already and the assault platoons were sent out charging into the tree lines. The ambush was only realised after the first platoon was cut down by more than one hundred weapon discharges that cut through limbs and flak jackets and rendered the first platoon into nothing more than bloodied pieces of flak armour and limbs on the forest floor. A quick thinking officer quickly ordered his platoon to hunker down and set their las rifles on maximum discharge, searing off bursts of las fire through the tree lines even as he quickly got on the radio to the mortars and field guns to fire five hundred meters in front of their position. The rounds landed quickly, and the shells discouraged any Eldar advance, although the Eldar were in truth further away but the temporary reprieve allowed the various units to at least hold on to their positions, with heavy stub guns set up that began to send bursts raking through the tree lines.

Keep pulling back. Keep luring them forward, we need to lure them into the bulk strength of our forces. Galamon ordered, and the Lasblaster squads would fire off short bursts of las fire and pulled back bit by bit, just outside of the range of the mon'keigh artillery.

More platoons were brought out to reinforce the bridgeheads established by the assault platoons, many of the platoons carrying the bolt action rifles instead of the las rifles of the assault platoons, the assault platoons were the better equipped units that were directly trained by the Astartes while the bolt action rifle platoons were conscripts who had been trained quickly and sent to restore order amongst the city. However, heavy weapons were still plenty, with many soldiers carrying stub guns as well as some carrying auto rifles.

Kunitz had rushed off to the tactical room, with Kyreg following him. They were met there by General Aldorf who wore a set of dark mustard fatigues, the same ones that were worn by the Assault Platoons. "Lord. The Eldar has struck at us hard, most of the defenses that we had built up over the short time have been destroyed. The outer walls have held for now, the assault platoons have advanced in and established a bridgehead and we are currently reinforcing them. The Eldar are being pushed back, and we are waiting for sufficient reinforcement as well as for heavier artillery to move up into position so that we can advance." Kunitz looked at the map read out, and nodded. Kyreg studied the map and tilted his head slightly at the Memlock line, spread out in a wide angled arrowhead.

"How long until the artillery is able to fire?" Kunitz asked even as he read over the various contact reports that had mapped out a rough idea of where the enemy could be. "At least thirty minutes. They had fired at the maximum range without endangering our own units so they need to be moved almost to the city walls this time to reach out further towards where our units are marking as enemy positions." A few red squares were on the map to show where friendly units were reporting hostile units, or at least where they think they were attacking from and so multiple staff officers were quickly plotting artillery distances as well as effective fire and setting up new positions on the map for the artillery to move to. Kyreg looked over at the Astarte Captain who seemed to be deeply absorbed by the various information that were presented on the tactical screen.

"You know it's a trap?" Kyreg said out loud, the room almost freezing as the mortals all stared at him while Kunitz looked at him and almost glared it seemed. "Why would the Eldar pull back if they had enough fire power to destroy all the fortifications that had been set up? How many heavy guns have they destroyed already from the start? They're pulling back to lure your guns out and then they can target them with their heavy units. If the Eldar had enough fire power to wipe out fortifications, then a few companies advancing through dense foliage will last a few minutes against a massive ambush."

The XX Legion Captain paused for a moment and swore underneath his breath. "Have the assault platoons hold the bridgehead. Wait until the artillery gets into position and open fire. Withdrawal the units under artillery cover back to the city walls, and fortify." The orders were quickly conveyed to the units. Exactly half an hour later, the guns began firing. A storm of shells rained down on the positions that contained some Eldar, while others landed in empty grass and bush covered ground.

The Mon'keigh are wise to our tricks. It seems that we must do more than bait them. I want the Rangers to move forward and snipe them, keep at them until they are too terrified to even look over their walls. The Corsair Prince gritted his teeth slightly, before looking over at the Aspect Warriors. I require your heavy weapons to sweep their walls, look for any weak points. I am afraid that our journey must take us into the city itself. The order was acknowledged promptly, the Farseer following the Aspect Warriors forward. The Dire Avengers had their weapons raised, but they stood around the Farseer as her bodyguard in this battle instead of advancing forward.

The assault platoons began to pull back bit by bit as the artillery fire sped up, even the lighter guns joining in the cascade of explosions ripping through the various contact coordinates fed to the headquarters. More reserve reinforcements were brought up, including the members of the 21st who armed with their heavier weapons would distribute themselves amongst the defenders at the walls.

Kyreg looked towards the Captain who cursed again at having almost fallen into the deception set by the Eldar. "How did you know, Commander?" Kyreg took off his helmet and clamped it around his waist before sighing softly. "Because, Captain. That is how I would have attacked your garrison. The only difference would be that I would have teleported the Learnaean into your artillery positions and sent Shroud teams to infiltrate the walls before I launched this attack." The Captain sighed softly and looked at the map again. "Then what do you suggest?" Kyreg looked at the Captain and smiled with venom. "I have brought them here for a reason." He would reach down to a small storage container and took out a pouch filled with red soul stones. "Are those what I think they are?" Kyreg smiled again. "Spirit stones filled with the souls of some of their greatest champions. Before the Heresy, a Word Bearer battle barge had stumbled onto a fleeing Eldar vessel over a planet that had been brought into compliance previously by a few different Legions. The battle was fought, and the Word Bearers rammed themselves into the Eldar craft and what remained of their two bridges seemed to have clashed together and fallen down onto the planet. I presume that was what had brought arch traitors to the planet when I was there to investigation something related to the Legion. They had fought a massive battle there, and I could only see the aftermath but an entire chest of spirit stones remained. And a separate chest with fewer but seemingly more potent ones remained. I wished to know what the arch traitors wanted to do with the spirit stones so I took the potent ones, and it seemed to have brought them here."

The Captain looked at Kyreg and sighed lightly with creeping amounts of admiration. "You used this planet as bait?" The Commander chuckled and stored the pouch back into his armour. "Not intentionally. Had we crash landed on another planet, then they would have followed us there." Kunitz looked back down towards the map and gestured towards it. "So what is your plan now that they are here?"

"It's quite simple. We go to the wall, and we bait them now." He would gesture for Catriona to follow him, the other Sisters having been patched up sufficiently to join them again. He lead them to the wall, where he would stand in the open, almost tauntingly and held out the pouch to the forest before placing it back into his armour and walking off the ramparts. "The Eldar are creatures of arrogance. They cannot deny a challenge such as that, especially one given by a human."

The sudden flood of emotions caused the Farseer to place her hands on her forehead, almost staggering as the Dire Avengers around her would catch her and steadied her. I can sense them. For a moment, I could sense them clear as the stars themselves. One of the Rangers would jog towards the gathered Aspect Warriors and the Corsairs and gestured towards the wall, barely visible through the dense forestry. Farseer, one of the Mon'Keigh came out and showed a small pouch over the walls, and he walked back. The Farseer grimaced slightly. The spirit stones. The spirit stones of the Elders, that must have been what was in those pouches. They cried out for that brief moment. We must go through that wall Corsair. Corsair Prince Galamon looked over the wall with an appraising eye, before shaking his head. I am not a Craftworld War Prince. I do not command entire warhosts. To take this, will take many casualties. At the end of the battle, there will be many more spirit stones inhabited. I may not have enough of a crew left to get off the planet, so think carefully Farseer.

Liliithfeon took a deep breath in and closed her eyes, meditating on what could be and what might be, and carefully considered her options. I'm afraid we do not have a choice, Corsair Prince. If we back down now, when will we be able to recover the elder spirit stones again? Galamon nodded slowly. Very well then. All heavy weapons will sweep the walls while the Dire Avengers will move up with Lasblaster squads and create a breach. Then we can force our way into their stronghold. Lilithfeon nodded in appreciation, before heading off with the Dire Avengers. Fusion bombs were prepped and checked, the Dire Avengers more than capable of a simple commando action while the Shadow Spectres and the Dark Reapers began to re-position their units. A few moments later, both heavy weapon elements opened fire, the wall being peppered by multiple blasts of concentrated lasers while the Dark Reapers swept their anti-personnel missiles over the top of the wall, landing strikes behind it, scattering groups of human defenders who had been hunkered down in hastily built fortifications. A few moments later, Lilithfeon lead the Dire Avengers towards a section of the wall that had already been hit multiple times by the laser cannons of the Shadow Spectres and fusion bombs were quickly placed. Four of them were stacked around one section, in a box pattern about five feet wide and ten feet tall, the Eldar retreating back for a moment before detonation. As soon as the blast sounded, the Dire Avengers were already on the attack, swooping in through the detonation point but one of the XX legionnaires were already waiting for them. Reotoni held his Umbra-Ferrox pattern bolter with both hands and fired a twenty round burst that cut through the first three Eldar that tried to breach through. Corsair Lasblasters began firing blind through the hole in the wall, their las beams ineffectual while the XX Legionnaire fired another burst to discourage any immediate intruders.

Beside him stood Julius who held his stalker bolter to his eye and punched a kraken round through one of the xeno who tried to peek around the hole, blowing out the Eldar's brain through their eye socket. Kyreg stood further back with the four Sisters of Silence behind him, while Kunitz gave orders rapidly over his helmet vox.

"I require Prapytis." The heavy weapon trooper jogged over with the rare plasma blaster held in his hands, as his Captain quickly pointed out the entry point the enemy has made. With a quick nod, he fired two charged blasts through the door way, the plasma blasts exploding in a splash of blue as it hit the ground while screams could be heard from the other side.

Lilithfeon stepped back in horror as she watched two of the Corsairs almost get melted by the blast of primitive plasma energy the mon'keigh had fired back. Galamon had advanced with the rest of his troops and gestured to create another breach on the other side. More fusion bombs were planted, and another doorway was created and he would charge through with his Voidstorm veterans. The burst of bolter rounds were shoved aside harmlessly by the energy field generated around the Corsair Prince, as his Voidstorm troops carried their energy shields that seemed to deflect the majority of fire.

A dazzling volley of las bolts were fired at the Eldar who had managed to breach the wall but most were deflected, the first wave of charging assault troops cut apart by the power sword of the Corsair Prince, while the Voidstorm veterans beside him drew their fusion guns as well as power blades and cut through the defenders easily. Drawing his power dagger, Julius as well as Captain Kunitz who drew his power sword both attacked. The force of their charge barreled over several of the Voidstorm bodyguards while Prapytis fired a few more balls of super molten plasma through the first breach point.

The large armoured mon'keigh snarled at him but he ignored the lowly human, even if he was an armoured giant and parried right past him, slicing his blade and severing the arm holding the dagger before stabbing the blade through his chest, pulling back his blade and rolling past him, the mon'keigh clutching at the wound for a moment before looking down and collapsing onto the ground.

Kunitz snarled as he watched Julius get cut down and grabbed the Eldar he was fighting before lifting it up by the throat and gutting it with his power sword. He flung the corpse aside and swung his blade while advancing, cutting through the shoulder of another Eldar who swore at him in its inhuman tongue before he punched it in the face, crushing its skull with the force of the impact. The one that had taken down Julius quickly charged towards him and the two locked blades. Their two different power swords flickered as they blocked and parried each other, the Eldar quickly thrusting forward but Kunitz side stepped it and slammed blade down in a sweep towards its skull. But the Eldar was far too agile to fall for that and instead rolled to the side, avoiding the sweep and bringing the blade up like a fencer, hoping to skewer the Astarte in the side. Kunitz quickly flicked his blade upwards and deflected the thrust, although the xenos blade was swing only inches away from his helmet. Without losing steam, he charged again and this time, he could feel the Eldar's blade pierce his left leg before it rolled forward, underneath his strike even as he brought his blade down towards it. He clenched his jaws at the sudden burning sensation even as his improved Astarte biology began pumping coagulants towards the stab wound while his armour administered pain killers. He quickly swung around, parrying a strike from the back the xeno was trying to do, his movement a bit slower while behind him, Sergeant Larhu had plowed his power axe through another Voidstorm Eldar, splitting the xenos spine in half as the axe blade bit right through the paper thin armour and severed the entire torso.

The alien seemed to taunt him with its alien language but it swung forward and stabbed the blade towards his helmet. He quickly tilted his head back, the blade missing close enough for the power field to scrape some of the paint off of his helmet but as he was about to return the favour, the alien had scrambled back and stabbed his blade through his right leg, his knee collapsing as he fell to the ground off kilter. He raised his blade up just in time however to block a decapitating swing by the Eldar with his own blade, the flickering of the two power fields sending sparks over his helmet. With a defiant roar, the Astarte reached up and would grab the Eldar and throw him behind him. The Eldar landed on his feet and was about to strike when Kyreg stepped in and cut the alien in half, the ancient phase blade slicing through the Eldar sword as well as the Eldar body. Their leader was cut in half but it seemed to only spur the remaining Eldar more.

Lilithfeon watched as one of the mon'keigh seemed to materialise out of thin air and struck the Corsair Prince down. She reached out, almost as if she could have stopped it but she could do nothing but watch. She howled in anger, as she could sense that the mon'keigh was the one who carried the eldar spirit stones. But before she could scream anything, she was grabbed by one of the Dire Avengers and shoved to the ground as more of the unaugmented mon'keigh begin to pour towards them, each firing their primitive las beam weapons and solid slug weapons at them. She stood up quickly and with a loud scream that pierced the ear drum of all the unaugmented humans nearby, and unleashed her powers. A massive crack could be heard as a series of blue psyker lightning strikes struck all around the mon'keigh defenses. One of the blasts struck the armoured mon'keigh that had dueled with Galamon earlier, more lightning strikes following the first blast as the armoured form rocked back for a moment before collapsing, multiple holes can be seen through the torso for a moment before it collapsed on the ground with a thud.

As the Eldar witch began blasting the area with the storms, Kyreg held for cover for a moment before looking over at the Sisters and made a signal. They would nod before reaching down and deactivating their null collars. For a brief moment, there was a bright flash and then nothingness. The witch fell down with a loud scream as her body convulsed at the sudden complete banishment of her link to the warp while all the other Eldar warriors around her seemed to quake, some clutching their heads as searing pain shot through them.

Kyreg gave a quick gesture to the other legionnaires still standing and they quickly moved up, and at his direction, grabbed the witch, and dragging her convulsing form to the Commander. One of the Sisters would place a psyker annulment collar around the xenos neck, before they re-activated their null collars. The witch convulsed again before passing out, her form lying limp on the ground now. The Eldar warriors recovered, although they found themselves staring at the barrels of multiple las rifles and bolt action rifles. A few of them thought about fighting back but Kyreg would gesture for Catriona to lead her Sisters forward. At the source of the psychic annulment in armoured form walking towards them, the Eldar as one surrendered. Kyreg would go over to the Eldar corpses and one by one, collected their spirit stones. One of the Eldar seemed to hiss at this gesture but then seemed surprise when he placed them all in a large pouch and handed it back to another Eldar.

He was under no illusion as to just how important these were to the Eldar, and truth be told he had no desire to send their souls to empower one of the Chaos powers. The witch however, he had other plans for the witch. He quickly checked on the Captain, there were multiple holes blasted through his torso, his geneseeds somehow intact. He shook his head and took off the dead Astartes helmet and locked it on his side. Sergeant Larhu stood beside him, the veteran Sergeant looking at him questioningly. He nodded once. The geneseeds, the precious XX Legion geneseeds were still untouched. The neck was completely undamaged and the lightning strikes had missed the geneseeds in his chest cavity. That was two sets of geneseeds that could be used to raise future legionnaires. Once upon a time, it was standard protocol for a XX Legion Astarte to carry two geneseed receptors, each containing a miniature stasis field inside in case of death without an Apothecary nearby. Kyreg drew his dagger and cut through the holes created by the witches lightning as well as cutting underneath the chin of the dead Astarte and extracted the two geneseeds, placing each into its own tube and handed both to the Sergeant. The Sergeant without a word locked them inside his armour. Kyreg took the former Captains weapons and ammunition, and handed it to the Sergeant. Sergeant Larhu looked at his former Captain with a hint of sadness. Julius would live, his stab wound only damaged one of the hearts. He would need a new arm and surgery, but he would survive. In order to prevent further damage, the Astarte had already been put into the sus membrane sleep in order to preserve what was left of his body.

The Eldar prisoners were marshalled by the human soldiers into an unused barrack near by the palace, while the witch was taken and placed into the custody of the Sisters of Silence. Catriona accepted her task with a dutiful nod, and the witch was taken to a large holding cell where the Sisters took turns standing watch over her along with at least two of the Astartes and more mortal troops. The battle it seemed, was over for now. The death of the Corsair Prince had been transmitted apparently to the crew of the warship in atmosphere, and it seemed to simply float, without any threatening gestures. It went unsaid that the lives of the witch and the other Eldar would be forfeit if it fired.

 ** _Two days later_**

The wall was being repaired slowly by the citizens, while Sergeant Larhu had begun to take over for the deceased Captain. The armour was taken off slowly and carefully, as they could still be patched and used. The breast plate could be repaired but they lacked the ability to do so, but the Captains body was burned as was the protocol for all Alpha Legion dead. The power sword had been wordlessly handed to the Sergeant, the Sergeant now carrying it as his badge of office while the power axe was given to the new second in command, Reotoni.

Albert walked around the city with his escort of Grenadiers and looked at the destruction wrought upon this planet. They would need a decade to fully recover, he believed. In the meantime however, he had wasted no time in setting up a domicile and hired a small staff to take care of it, as he knew that he would be back on the planet again. In many ways, he still thought of a way to get off this planet but he knew that he would have to rely on the Astartes Commander for a solution.

 ** _Onboard the Unholy Curse_**

The body of Etanes the Ashfanged was still crucified on board the bridge. It was a reminder from the Dark Council that ruled Sicarus in the name of Lorgar that failure will not be tolerated. After the massive explosion that had buried them for days, the Ashwarped had clawed their way out one by one, to find the sorcerer Ashakhet waiting for them outside. The battle had been long over, but they had made their way back to Sicarius on board the Unholy Curse cruiser. There, the judgement of the Dark Council had been rendered. Etanes was crucified and his soul was ripped out of his body and fed to the warp, and Nusku the former Iconoclast champion had been named the new leader. The Ashwarped were no more, that band died when its leader failed in the task given to them by the Dark Council. Now, they were reborn as the Sovereignclast, and Viprus had joined them once again. The former Blood Angel sat there in his now gold and purple armour and swirled the drink in his crystal glass with amusement even as the new Champion stared out at the bridge.

"Tell me Sorcerer. What is so important about this artifact? You have it now, so what did Etanes wish with it?" Ashakhet paused for a moment before answering. "Well you see, imagine. We sacrifice a billion on a planet to Chaos, but so what? It brings us the Gods favour but it grants us no true boon. No boon that we can control. What about one hundred billion souls? That is something that will make the Gods truly examine us and grant us perhaps a planet of our own. Or knowledge. Or perhaps, the amount of souls will rip open a new Eye around the planet of our choice, rendering the planet another gateway for the forces of the Long War. Now look at Huron Blackheart. He maybe fearsome but what would he do if even the planet he rules on gets ripped in half? With one hundred billion souls being sacrificed at once, what would happen to the planet that the sacrifice takes place on?"

Nusku nodded for a moment. "Etanes had illusions of becoming the ruler of a planet. Or a planet killer weapon." The Sorcerer nodded. "This artifact, the Crows Gem, it is a planet killer. You can collect souls, and use them as you wish. It is not even just human souls. Imagine the effect if you were to sacrifice the souls of a million Eldar? What would happen on a planet where you can use the collected souls of a million Eldar to sacrifice at once?"

The new Chaos warlord chuckled and nodded. "Truly, this is a goal worthy of seeing coming to fruition. Now, I believe that you wanted something in return as well." The Sorcerer smiled thinly and nodded. "Yes. There is something that I must collect on a planet before we can carry this out. It is a small asteroid moon, and it is not far from here."


	30. Chapter 30

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 30_**

On the small moon, the Word Bearers landed in three of their Thunderhawks and looked about at the environment around them. There was barely any atmosphere, only barren craters that made up the landscape of the moon. Nusku walked down the landing ramp with the zero gravity claws underneath his boots activated and glanced over at the nothingness around them. He was escorted by a squad of his chosen ones, the Octaivan who had survived their descent. He would take his vengeance on what he could only guess as members of the XIX Legion that had gotten the better of them. Or perhaps it could have been their bastard off springs, it mattered little to him. The Octaivan veterans around him held their bolters in their hands and stood behind him wordlessly. The Sorcerer exited the gunship behind them and chuckled, a disturbingly joyful sound coming from the throat of one that was used to mastering the unholy words of the warp. From the other gunships exited Word Bearer Legionnaires, each being marshalled to their squad leaders to form a skirmish line that would stand behind Nusku who gave a gesture to the Sorcerer. Ashakhet smiled and walked forward nonchalantly, humming a song from perhaps his youth, from before he had become what he is now.

He would lead them across the cratered surface of the moon, avoiding gasses that would vent into the atmosphere from small volcano like growth in the landscape. There would be a small trench that went all around the planet in an odd mannerism that seemed to be almost an etching onto the face of the moon itself. In the center of all this was a small structure, a single pyramid it seems shrouded by an odd fog that should not be possible on a moon. It was a deep blue fog that surrounded the place, but the Sorcerer would walk in without any hesitation. After a brief moment, Nusku looked at his troops and walked through as well. The moment he walked through, he could see what seemed like ghosts of different creatures, some humanoid and some not who stalked through the mists although they would dissipate harmlessly when he walked into one of them. As he walked further in, he could see the Sorcerer standing there finally at the entrance to the pyramid. The pyramid wasn't large; it was perhaps only slightly taller than two Land Raiders stacked together on top of each other. The entrance way was however quite large for the structure. The door frame was made of an obsidian black material with a large double door that seemed to have been cast from bronze that had stood the test of time remarkably well. Ashakhet looked at him and nodded once before lifting up his staff and he uttered a few words. It suddenly felt like the air around him was being sucked from him and every single of his Astartes, some collapsing down onto a knee even though they all had their full environmental features turned on in their power armour. Then with a burst of pressure that emanated from the sorcerers staff, the doors opened before them. From inside could be seen in the darkness of the entrance way a strange blue glow. The Sorcerer nodded, as if satisfied and stepped in.

Nusku followed him in to see a monument to what must have been the sights seen from orbit over Tizca, but cast in a series of illusionary lights. Around it stood three full squads of Thousand Son Astartes, all holding their weapons yet covered in a fine layer of dust that suggest they have not moved in a very long time. Their weapons were of patterns that had not been seen in almost ten thousand years, the intricate pattern carved into the receivers by long dead Prosperan forges still visible after all this time. Ashakhet smiled again, his black gums glistening in a sickening smile as he removed his helmet, the old style helmet releasing its seals with a soft hiss. "This… this is what I require. My brothers, brought back to me.." Removing a gauntlet from his left hand, he drew a black bladed ornamental combat knife and sliced it across his wrist and his palm, letting the blood collect in his palm before hissing out a few arcane words and throwing the blood in the air. The rich crimson droplets of Astartes blood would fly towards the Thousand Sons before collecting in a singular large globe, held together by a string of darkness that suddenly released, sending a tiny droplet towards each suit of armour. With a dark purple glow, the eyes of each suit of armour glowed, the seal upon them released as one. With loud creaky groans, all three squads would take a step together as one, before kneeling down in front of the Sorcerer.

Nusku looked around him at the other Word Bearers uneasily. Three full squads of XV legionnaires? One squad was difficult enough to deal with, requiring powerful munitions to destroy the bonds between the enchanted armour. The XVII legionnaires gripped their bolters tightly, while others had their thumbs resting on the activation studs of their Axe Rakes, ready to thumb the blades to life and sliced the armour open and rip them apart. The Sorcerer however, examined his "brothers" and nodded, the three XV squads getting up onto their feet and looked to him for direction. Having fully established the mental link that would control them, he turned to the Word Bearer veteran and smiled with almost child-like glee. "Well, I have what I need. Shall we be off then?" Nusku nodded without a word but before he could give a signal, the first burst of bolter fire cut through one of his men standing next to him. He would look and from beyond, there were a flight of Thunderhawks, their heavy bolters flashing as long streams of bolter rounds flew through the air akin to a lethal rain storm that was about to moisten the barren moon with their blood.

"Oh I forgot to mention didn't I? It's my old age. It's guarded by a small contingent of our cousins from the VI." He would cackle slightly mad as the Thunderhawks, now revealed to be painted in the storm grey and blue of the Wolves began dropping hirsute Astarte warriors after a long dive towards the surface of the moon. The minute the Wolves landed, the veteran members of the Vlka Fenryka set up their heavy weapons and began firing long streams of heavy bolter as well as bolts of plasma and the occasional torso thick beams of armour melting las bolts. Cursing the fate that had led him here, Nusku snarled into his helmet vox as the other veteran Octaivan Astartes sprinted for cover while returning bursts of bolter fire. Heavy weapon teams would begin to set up hastily in order to counter the effects of the VI Long Fangs, but the withering pattern of fire was enough to cause a delay even to the veteran Word Bearers manning the heavy weapons. Nusku fired off a blindly aimed burst towards the general direction of the Wolves as he looked at the Sorcerer with venom. "Oh do not fret my good friend, I have thought of this contingency." With a mental thought from the Sorcerer, the XV Astartes began to move as one. The utterance of a single word of power could barely be heard over the din of the battle yet it could be felt. A large bubble of light purple coalesced in front of the traitor legionnaires, slight dimples could be seen where the enemy fire hit the shield. Under the shield, the XV Astartes had set up their lascannons as well as their plasma cannons while those who carried the ornate and ancient autocannons fired long bursts of suppression. Too far away to be targeted by any of the Word Bearers, the autocannons had stitched a line of gore and puffs of red mist through a charging line of the Wolves, their number cut down almost half just by the initial volley. Once the lascannons were set up, the Long Fangs began to be disintegrated by las bolts fired by hands that no longer worried about a pulse while the plasma cannons exploded in sections of blue across the battlefield.

Grounding his teeth and unwilling to let the battle be won by a son of the Cyclopes, Nusku ordered his Octaivan forward. Charging across a straight line while chanting out the words of Lorgar, the XVII legionnaires activated their Axe Rakes and in moments, the two lines of crimson and storm grey collided, smashing into each other in a fury of whirring blades biting into ceramite. Nusku swung his power axe through the chest of a young pup, barely old enough to be weaned off of milk while dodging the sloppy attack of another, kicking a leg out and throwing out the original attacker off balance as he flawlessly changed the angle of the axe as he pulled it out of the dead pup and effortlessly sliced through the bearded head of the other. The tang of rich loyalist blood pleased him; this was the truest interpretation of the Word of Lorgar. But as he cut through another whelp that dove at him head first holding a whirring chain axe, he spat on the ground with slight disgust; these were not the Wolves of Fenris as he remembered them. Ten thousand years had diluted their bloodlines, no longer were they the feared executioners under Russ. They lacked the martial skill to back up their ferocity. He paused in his slaughter and curled his lips underneath his helmets. Only the heavy weapon operators seemed to have any true skill, firing in accurate fusillades against the Thousand Son husks as they withdrew, seemingly being wise enough to know when they have been outmatched. At the same time, their withdrawal was not a cowardly retreat. The remaining Long Fangs pulled out of visible range of the Thousand Sons and instead to a more defensible position where their remaining heavy weapons were put to devastating use, a Krak missile hitting one of the unthinking legionnaires right underneath the neck, the blast melting the torso, causing limbs of armour to scatter to the ground.

The Sorcerer didn't seem concerned, although he did take a wise step behind the advancing armoured screen of XV warriors. At the same time, the Octaivan began to surge up the left flank. The crimson fist had smashed through the storm grey, the young pups of the Rout no match for those with more than ten thousand years of war. Yet they died to a warrior, no retreat, no quarter given or asked. One of the Octaivan was brought down by a wolf pup who had an arm missing and both legs below the knee, a last act ramming a chain axe through the legionnaires stomach armour, shoving it through and up as the revving teeth of the axe chewed through the ceramite into the organs underneath, a bloody mess of pulped meat falling down along the shaft of the chain axe even as the legionnaire rammed his axe rake through the screaming cursing face of his opponent, the two collapsing against each other held up only by their respective chain weapons.

Advancing quickly up the left side of the small hills, the Octaivan began to bring more effective fire into the dug in Long Fangs who responded by doubling the rate of fire coming from their heavy weapons. A heavy bolter round hit close enough that it dented the left side of Nusku's helmet, making him duck and curse as he returned fire with his bolter one handed, a poorly aimed burst that fired high. The sound of a loud buzz saw could be heard as a Thunderhawk swooped in from orbit and began firing their quad linked heavy bolters through the Word Bearers advance. Las beams fired at it were dissipated easily by the gunships armour, although whenever someone did fire, a burst of heavy bolter rounds were fired in response.

With a mad cackle, Ashakhet raised his staff and from it erupted a massive bolt of lightning, hitting the Thunderhawk dead on into the cockpit causing a sickening detonation that caused the gunship to crack in half, both sides falling onto the positions of the Long Fangs they were meant to cover. The battle was over in an instant, the only sound on the battlefield being the slight crackling of the chemical fires that burned over the position of what used to be Long Fang veterans of the Rout. Nusku grinded his teeth as he looked over the casualties the Octaivan had taken, it was time to recruit more. "I hope your brothers are worth it. It was a dear price that was paid."

"Oh all in good time my friend." The Sorcerer would reply with a carefreeness that annoyed the XV officer. "You will see… you will see what we will accomplish. The stars, no, the warp itself will ebb and flow at our actions. We will create the winds which will sweep aside our enemies…" With a sickening smile revealing his black gums, Ashakhet set his helmet back on his head as XV Thunderhawks began to land around them.

 ** _Memlock_**

The witch sat in her cell with her eyes closed, motionless for the past few hours since she had awoke. Of course, should she even attempt to do anything to the null collar around her neck, the two Sisters outside her cell would gladly shred her with the bolters they carried. Of course there were no cells that were truly made for Eldar, but this was as close to a secure facility as it would get. Sergeant Larhu had given orders for one of the wings of the barracks cleared out just for their prisoners. The rest of the Eldar did not receive such high level guards, merely secured with las-cuffs and detonation collars. Simple food and drink had been provided for them, each cell holding four of the xenos. Kyreg stood outside the cell and watched the witch, curious about what flowed through her mind right now. Of course he knew he could never understand the warped senses of a xeno witch but regardless, he looked at her with some envy at the peace she seemed to be able to attain so easily. He always wondered, if his progenitor the Emperor had ever intended for Astartes to be able to attain peace. Not peace for the galaxy but rather personal peace. He remembered when he was still a child, after holding the grenade in one of the mass conscription levies that came and how afterwards, he had been taught to channel every ounce of his will to completing the mission. Still, that peace is not something built into him. The closest thing that came from his Genefather which resembled peace was the patience to plan and plot, to create plans that would come into fruition years later, even decades and centuries later. He would make a gesture and Sister Superior Isibeal would open the cell door. The witch did not stir even with the door being opened, as Kyreg walked through. As the cell door locked behind him, he took his helmet off and glimpsed at her.

By mortal standards she would have been attractive, except for the oddity for her facial feature and her ears. Her limbs were almost impossibly long and lithe for a human, and he smelled none of the usual human scents on her. She smelled completely alien, which was the only way to detect an Eldar witch if she had disguised herself through witchcraft.

"I know you are awake. No real harm has come to you. There is no need to pretend to be otherwise." He would wait for a reaction, and when none came, he would hold up the bag of spirit stones and shook them slightly; the slight clack of the various stones hitting each other caused her eyes to snap open and glare at him hatefully. "There is no need to stare at me with such venom; I do not intend to do with them as you believe."

The witch glared at him before eyeing the stones. "You Mon'keigh are all alike, taking treasures which you have no business to handle, destroying those that you do not understand." Kyreg chuckled deeply, and set the stones in front of her, causing her to look at him suspiciously. "I do not care for these stones. They are useless to me, and meaningless. To you they have meaning. That is not why you are here however. You are here because I wish to know why my traitorous brethren wish to get their hands on them." The witch opened the bag, and examined the contents carefully before breathing a long sigh of relief. "It has been a very long time since my visions have proven me wrong. I have seen you in the ethereal before. I have sensed you." Kyreg looked at her impassively, waving a hand for her to continue on.

"I saw in my visions, of the battle to come where the hydra lurked, the many headed hydra binding around the planet. I saw the hydra but I did not understand what it represented." Her emerald eyes flashed over the symbol of the hydra on his armour. "I thought it represented a misfortune that could fall upon my plans, but no it represented a specific faction that I had not accounted for." She took a deep breath and wrapped her hands around the bag of spirit stones. "They wish to take them for the souls of my people contained within them. I wish to recover them to bring them back to where they belong, but the ruinous powers as always thirst for more Aeldari souls to slake their ever hunger for more. What they wish to do with them, I cannot tell you for I do not know nor do I have any inclination to find out. But what do they always wish to do with the souls of my people? That is something you are not unfamiliar with. I have seen your colours before, Mon'keigh. Yet you are not like those that I have met. I do not yet believe that I would see a Mon'keigh that had the capacity to understand the importance of the spirit stones. I sense my fallen comrades nearby. What did you do with their spirit stones?"

Kyreg stared at her for a moment. "I gave them to your comrades. Like I said, I have no desire for them. Nor do I care to possess them; their powers are not something that should be taken lightly. Even your people acknowledge that fact." Lilithfeon's face had a slight flicker of surprise at the knowledge displayed by the Mon'keigh standing in front of her. "I am here to recover those stones and those stones only. I care not for your machinations, Mon'keigh." Kyreg nodded and set his helmet back on to his face. "Tell me, what would happen if the souls in those stones were sacrificed all at once to the ruinous powers? What effect would that have?" Lilithfeon made a horrified face. "It would be disastrous, all those psychic signatures suddenly being devoured by Chaos, it would be a tremendous loss. However, I believe that you are less concerned about my peoples loss and more concerned about what benefit it would give them. Well Mon'keigh, it would allow them to power a massive warp gate into the warp itself. Unlike the ones they can simply summon, they can use the power of the spirit stones to keep the warp gate open. It would not be a temporary one." Kyreg nodded in understanding. "I thank you for your answers. Bring the spirit stones back to your people. In return however, I will ask of you a favour. One that I have not yet decided on." The Aeldari witch looked at him, her face a calm surface but underneath where emotions crashed in waves and peaks before she gripped onto them with her ferocious mental strength and forced them into calmness. "Very well Mon'keigh. Very well. But be forewarned, do not expect me to betray my Craftworld for your favour." Kyreg laughed as he turned and exited the cell, the two Sisters of Silence standing outside locking the cell door after him.

 ** _Memlock orbit_**

"Inquisitor, the psychic signatures came from the planet here. No contact has been made for a very long time with the Imperium." The bridge crew member reported. The silver haired inquisitor nodded, his physical appearance of around fifty hidden by the multiple rejuvenat treatments he has had over the years. The cruiser _Titans Judgement_ floated through atmosphere slowly, matching its engines to the rotation of the planet. Behind the Inquisitor stood a full squad of Astartes, clad in purple and bone. On their shoulder pauldrons were painted stylized chalices, painted in gold. "Have the scanners picked up any signs of civilization?" Inquisitor Dion asked as the ship's crew worked furiously plotting out various instruments and activating multiple frequency scanners. "It appears my Lord, that there is one major hub of civilization."

The Inquisitor nodded. "Then prepare a Thunderhawk. We shall make planet fall." His orders were quickly obeyed, and in only half an hour, he stepped on board the Thunderhawk with his Astartes escorts.

"What do you think we will find, Inquisitor?" Sergeant Bronchius asked. He was a veteran Sergeant from the Sarpedon faction, although the last he had heard, his brothers had long been written down in the annals of history. "I think, that we will find Eldar, my friend. The psychic signature is too pure to be one of a human psyker." The Astarte nodded, and gave brisk orders to his squad to prepare their weapons.

 ** _Memlock_**

"My Lord, our ground defensive scanners have picked up a vessel incoming. It's markers are unknown, actually a more accurate description would be the markers are hidden." The Rogue Trader looked at the data slate offered to him by Lieutenant Klara, and looked a bit troubled. "Hidden is never good news. Hidden implies Inquisition." He looked over at Kyreg who smiled thinly at the news before activating his power armour's built in camouflage effect to hide the dusk blue of the XX, replacing it instead with the midnight black of the Blackshield. "Well then Master Rogue Trader, let us bade them welcome." Behind him stood Sergeant Larhu who's lips curled slightly at his words. The XX Veteran Sergeant would move off to brief his squad; there were preparations to be made.

An hour and a bit later, the Inquisitional Thunderhawk landed in the town square, in front of the palace where an honour guard of Memlock Rifles stood in full ceremonial gear. However, no one waited to greet them. The Inquisitor chewed on his lips for half a second before chuckling and walked into the main hall where the new ruler Ulysses sat on the throne along with the white uniformed members of the Palace Guard.

"Lord Inquisitor, what a distinct honour I have of being able to greet you. Have you come to investigate the missing tithes? I assure you that the tithes will continue immediately, we have had a chance of governance lately you see and –." He was cut off abruptly by the Inquisitor raising a hand. "No hardly, Lord Governor, I am here to investigate something else completely although the statues of the Emperor bring warmth to my heart. I was worried that I would be descending into the dens of heretics.. allow me to introduce myself. I am Inquisitor Dion Ephemeris of the Ordo Hereticus. And I am here to investigate the massive influx of psyker energy that has come out of here."

Ulysses blanched for a moment. "Lord? We do not have psykers or rather they are not a common mutation amongst this planet." The Inquisitor shook his head. "Now is not a time to be lying to me, Governor. Interesting fact for you, I highly doubt your position has been fully ratified yet but I can ratify it for you on the spot. Or I can remove you from power, citing reasons of incompetence or worse, standing in the way of an Inquisitor." Ulysses paled and shakily gestured towards the various lackeys that hung around his throne room. "Whatever you require from me, Inquisitor, I will provide. However I truly do not know of any psyker cults here. I have taken over for under a month and we are still rebuilding. That's why I ask for leniency with our tithes.." The Inquisitor laughed with a friendly smile on his face. "Relax Governor, I only jest. Yes, I will ratify your rule seeing as it is obvious you are a man loyal to the Imperium. I hardly need to say that it is the job of the Inquisition to root out the problems which even the rulers would have a hard time distinguishing. After all, that is what I am trained in." He would reply smoothly. The governor looked more reassured at his words. "Worry not Lord Governor, these anomalies happen quite often, especially around planets that have been cut off from the Imperial Fold for a while. I'm sure it is simply a disturbance in the warp, nothing unusual. But you understand of course, that is something that I as an Inquisitor must investigate just to be sure."

"Of course Lord, I understand. Please, allow me to render any assistance you wish." Ulysses looked to have recovered his colours after the reassuring words of the Inquisitor. After a few more polite exchanges of words, the Inquisitor would depart from the palace, and headed to a rather high end inn where he would take over the entire structure, kicking out the other customers to leave only the serving staff.

As the night approached, Dion sat in his chambers with two of his Astartes bodyguards outside as he poured another measure of amasec into a crystal glass and took a large sip. There was something here, he was sure of it. The shuriken pistol in its custom holster sat at his hip concealed by his long trench coat was only one of the many xenos artifacts he possessed. In his boot was a wraith bone power dagger that he had taken off a Rogue Trader he had executed decades ago. Something was at work here, he was sure of it. As he moved to pour another bottle of amasec, he noticed something. A wax paper note inside the bottle itself. Well it wasn't toxin, otherwise the first half of the bottle would have killed him already. Using the power dagger, he would slice the top of the glass clean off and reached in to retrieve the small note and read it. It had a simple message and it made him smile.

"The Eldar are in the barracks."

In the morning, after his breakfast of scrambled eggs and wheat chunks with some delicately smoked fish, he poured himself a large mug of recaf and then exited his room. The guards outside have not been replaced, after all the Astartes hardly needed too much rest. "We head for the barracks."

The barracks were left empty, devoid of any guards. The doors opened for them rather simply, although the cells still had the Eldar in them. The Eldar sat in their cells, staring at him sullenly as well as giving glares of disgust at the Astartes that accompanied him. He would walk from cell to cell like a child at a toy store, staring at the Eldar in unhidden delight. He went so far as to take out a note book and take notes at the appearances of the various Eldar that he could see. Of course there was one room where he could sense the psyker energy coming from and he would head towards it, seeing into the cell that held Lilithfeon and smiled to himself. This was truly a treasure, a captured Eldar. However his mind quickly raced as to how it came to be that it seemed an entire group of Eldar have been captured. The technology here it seemed were still bolt action rifles and a few autoguns, nothing that would stand a chance against Eldar shuriken weapons. Sergeant Bronchius looked at him questioningly but before the words can come out of his mouth, the lights went out. The autosenses of the Astartes helmet would adjust to the sudden lack of light indoors but something was clouding their senses, a slight hiss of a smoke grenade could be heard as the room they stood in was filled with a chemical smoke that obscured low light vision, filling the room with millions of micro-reflectors in the smoke that would make the room appear to be so bright so as to prevent any detail from being shown. When the smoke finally cleared and the lights came back on, the Inquisitor along with all the Eldar had simply disappeared. Sergeant Bronchius snarled and ordered his squad to clear the rest of the barracks, the purple armoured Astartes moving like a well-oiled machine as each room was checked. Nothing remained in the cell that held the Eldar witch other than a single disruptor, a single small cube that emitted immense psyker energy.

"Sergeant, this is a trap if I ever saw one." Ryazan, the squads second in command would state out loud. "Damn Inquisitors, always charging in. Every Inquisitor believe themselves to be untouchable." The Sergeant replied. "Who is our enemy then, that would dare to touch an Inquisitor in the first place? The ruinous powers?" Belefont, the squads plasma gunner would ask. The Sergeant shook his head. "No, the only ones who would dare lay a hand on an Inquisitor escorted by a squad of Astartes.. is another Astarte.


	31. Chapter 31

**_Shadow of a Doubt_**

 ** _Chapter 31_**

The cameras in the walls picked out the details of the Inquisitors Astartes escorts, noting their chapter symbols. Kyreg looked at him and smiled thinly, recognizing them and in turn, giving him an idea of who the Inquisitor was. The Eldar weapons found on the man also proved interesting, the Eldar witch explaining what make those weapons had come from and what that meant for an Inquisitor to have them.

"He's certainly not a purist, but not necessarily a radical per say." Albert chimed in as he examined the weapons. "It's not unheard of for Inquisitors to maintain weapons of xeno origin if they might be in a place where they are unable to resupply.." Kyreg nodded, that he understood. However this Inquisitor was certainly not in Eldar space, and was still in Imperial space at the time. The Commander looked over at Catriona who shrugged. "We were asleep in stasis pods for centuries at a time, Commander. We barely even understand the purpose of the Inquisition aside from a tool of terror." The Sister of Silence Canoness replied, her hand resting on the armoured belt around her waist. "Albert, be the first to interrogate him. Give us details, let's get his tongue loose." The Rogue Trader sighed and nodded, always detesting having to deal with Inquisitors in any way shape or form.

The Inquisitor had been disarmed, his entire ensemble stripped from him and clothed instead in a set of grey robes, nothing on there that could be used or improvised into a weapon. The cell he sat in had nothing, no tables, no chairs, only a window to gaze in and a door. The door opened and Albert walked in, a full squad of his Grenadiers armed with hotshot las carbines with cut down Naval shotguns mounted underneath the handguard of the carbines. The Inquisitor stood up at once.

"I hope for your sake that you are a warlord of limitless resources and power, because that is the only way you will get out of this alive." Dion snarled out at him, while Albert gave him an odd look. "Why would I need to be a warlord? You are the captive here."

Dion barked out a harsh laugh while gesturing to the walls around him. "You believe yourself to be the warden and I the prisoner. No good sir, the moment you took me prisoner, the yoke of the Inquisition has snared all of you in here with me. No I'm afraid, you might hold me captive but I am hardly the prisoner." Albert tilted his head and nodded slightly. "You should ask then Lord Inquisitor, what sort of a man would take an Inquisitor prisoner." The prisoner smirked slightly. "A stupid man perhaps. A man with a death wish or even worse, a man in pact with the ruinous powers."

Albert shook his head. "No my Lord, perhaps all it takes is a man who recognizes Eldar weapons and how they do not belong on a member of the Inquisition. No, I don't think I have an Inquisitor in captivity. I imagine that I have a fraud."

The Inquisitor snarled again. "A fraud? Would a fraud be accompanied by a full squad of Space Marines?" Albert nodded. "Yes. A fraud would be accompanied by a squad of Astartes who have been declared Excommunicate. Do you not think I would recognize their colours?" The Inquisitor fell silent and snarled only as a reply. "I think if I was to hand you over to the Inquisition, it would be I that would be rewarded." The Inquisitor for a moment looked sullen before grinning at him. "Hand me over to the Inquisition? I doubt it. You might hand me over but it would be the word of an Inquisitor against a planetary lord. A stupid one at that. I would have to sit through some rather tedious hearings but I can plead my case. It would not be hard, and after all that, it would still be your word against mine."

"That is true. But in truth, it will not be me that you will have to answer to." Before the Inquisitor can ask, the door opened and Kyreg strode in, accompanied by Lilithfeon. A mask of hatred was worn on the Aeldari's face as it had become quite clear that the weapons he possessed had been taken off of battlefield dead, an act seen as utterly barbaric by the Craftworlds. The Inquisitor paled at this, not having been prepared to be the one held captive by an Eldar and a Space Marine.

The Eldar walked to in front of him and placed a hand on his head, and the next thing he saw was just pure light stripping away in his mind as he slumped over. However he would wake up standing dressed in his regular regalia, with the black armoured Astarte beside him while the Eldar stood there as well. In front of them he could see his memories, fragments of his memories and he would pale.

 _The Inquisitor chuckled as he closed the blast doors, his acolytes stuck on the other side could only scream as the last of them were torn apart by the Daemons that had been summoned. In his hand clutched a book bound in human skin, what he had come to this very planet for. He ran for the Valkyrie that had brought him there, the Inquisitional Tempestus Scions firing at full auto towards the warp beasts that seemed to spawn at random. As he jumped into the gunship, he would hit the close door button even as the Scions outside kept laying down fire. The Scion Sergeant would turn at the sound of the cargo doors closing and paused for a moment as a flash of betrayal could be seen only for a moment across the veteran's hardened eyes before he turned and resumed firing. The Inquisitor smiled thinly as he ignored what was going on outside and instead ran his fingers over the unholy book, grinning from ear to ear as the gunship left the atmosphere._

 _"Exterminatus. This planet has been lost to the Emperors Light." He ordered casually as the gunship landed. The pilots exchanged looks with each other and began to unbuckle themselves before the Inquisitor casually drew his las pistol and executed the two of them by a shot in the back of the head. The sudden flashes of the las bolts caused alarms over the ship with Naval Security Troopers running towards the gunship with their snub-nosed naval shotguns at the ready before he stepped out and waved them off. "They were exhibiting strange behaviour, I had to cleanse them to preserve their souls for the Emperor." He holstered the las pistol and walked to his quarters, not sparing a second thought as the planet of over five billion was torn asunder by cyclonic torpedoes and the planet surface left barren by the firestorms that raged over it._

The scene turned into blackness, the Inquisitor hissing as he looked over at the barren nothingness around him. "Eldar tricks, that is not what happened witch.. I recovered an extremely valuable relic! A treasure that should have seen me made Inquisitor Lord but no those fools, their minds were too closed to the possibilities." Lilithfeon looked at the Inquisitor wordlessly while Kyreg's mind was clicking away like a clock tower. This started to add together, especially with the Inquisitor being escorted by that chapter of Astartes. Images began to flow through again.

 _"I understand, Governor, just how valuable this item is. That is why I am here, to escort it to safety to an Inquisitional vault." The Inquisitor was sitting in a large parlour across from a portly man who was quite obviously made nervous by the situation he found himself in. "The thing is Inquisitor, and I completely agree however… uh.." The Governor was cut off by the entrance of a younger man in full carapace armour and a storm cloak armed with a hotshot las pistol at his waist accompanied by what looked like four well-muscled warriors in a full black bodysuits with war masks on. "What the Governor is trying to say, Inquisitor Ephemeris, is that this has already been assigned to me for safe keeping. My retinue and I will arrange for its safe passage, although I thank you for your interest in the safety of this relic." The last comment was barely veiled with toxic venom behind it, the younger Inquisitor staring at him with eyes that could almost be mistaken for gun sights._

 _"Very well Inquisitor, I am glad to see that it is in such capable hands.. I will take my leave then." Inquisitor Dion Ephemeris spat out at the other man before getting up. The image suddenly changed to the spaceport itself where the younger Inquisitor was waiting, with his retinue of assassins as well as a squad of Guardsmen dressed in the armour and uniform of the famed regiments of Elysia, armed with bullpup las rifles and heavier weapons. As the Valkyrie landed in front of them and opened its cargo doors, a sharp crack preceded the Inquisitor dropping to the ground with a massive wound in his torso. The assassins leaped into action, drawing out long power swords and moving faster than the eye can keep track of while the Elysian guardsmen dropped to a knee and formed a defensive circle around the Inquisitor._

 _"No survivors." A voice hissed out from the shadows, as the swarm of Eldar Pirates appeared out of the shadows with their xenos weapons and began firing, gunning down the Elysian guardsmen mercilessly while those of their ilk armed with long cruel sabers engaged the assassins. The assassins fought valiantly but one small cut was all it took before the four were convulsing on the floor, even though they had managed to kill at least five of the pirates. The Inquisitor with his dying breath reached into his armour and drew a thermite grenade, almost getting his hand on the activation stud before a long thin blade cut through the thumb almost on top of the stud, his thumb rolling to the ground. He would stare at it before looking up just in time to see the thin blade slice into his left eye, the keenness of the blade leaving his eyeball intact even as neural flayers at the tip of the blade fried the Inquisitors brains. From behind the pirates stepped out Inquisitor Dion who would pick up the locked box which he opened giddily, a necklace carved from human bone and a black gem that seemed to suck the light from around it. He nodded towards the pirates and gestured towards a waiting ship._

 _"Is that our payment?" The leader seemed to ask in High Gothic that seemed to be too graceful to be uttered from the lips of a human. "Yes, it is. Payment in full." The Dark Eldar smiled and bowed mockingly before entering the ship, his compatriots dragging the bodies of their own slain into the civilian marked ship, the closing cargo doors revealing the begging eyes of the women and children who had been forced into it as the last pirate closed the ramp. The Inquisitor smiled as he left, his attention focused on the necklace as he caressed it before closing the small lockbox and walking away._

"Dealing with the Drukhari, that is unforgivable Inquisitor." Kyreg spoke for the first time as the images around them dissipated, the trio once again surrounded by the white walls of the cell the Inquisitor had been placed in. "More Eldar mind tricks… I am an Inquisitor of The Emperors most holy Ordos.." He was interrupted by Lilithfeon slapping him across the face. "To bargain with the Drukhari, Mon'keigh. To make a deal for the life of your own kind through payment… you know not what you have done." The Inquisitor snarled at her but before he could launch into another tirade, Kyreg put up a hand.

"This is the favour I require from you then, Eldar. Take him with you. Take him to your ship, where you can fully interrogate him and open his mind up. Find out what it is that he hides." The Commander stated as he looked at the Inquisitor. The Aeldari Farseer tilted her head only slightly, before nodding. "I acquiesce to your request then. A bargain has been struck between us Mon'keigh." She nodded and seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, before a squad of Aspect warriors marched in, with wraith bone restraints in hand. They would take the Inquisitor and restrain him before marching him off. Wordlessly, Lilithfeon followed them out.

Kyreg would walk behind them, not knowing where they had appeared from but suddenly, the four Sisters of the Lupi Titania appeared behind him with their bolters in port order as they escorted the Eldar out of the palace. Outside in the battlefield that had taken place previously, what was left of the Eldar awaited them, including the Corsair Prince Galamon who smiled thinly at the Astartes Commander. "I did not think to see the day that I would see Mon'keigh be so restrained in their bloodlust." The Corsair Prince remarked icily. Kyreg chuckled underneath his helmet, a low threatening sound that would raise the hackles of those within earshot.

"And yet this is not the first time I have seen Aeldari leaving the battlefield defeated." The reply sent the Corsair's bodyguards into a fit, clenched jaws and curses spoken in xenos tongue would be their reply. With a slight chuckle, Kyreg turned, his cameoline cloak fluttering amidst the dusty ad hoc landing zone and walked back into his castle, followed by his Sisters of Silence bodyguards.

Do you truly believe we can trust Mon'keigh? Galamon asked of the Farseer who would pause mid step onto the landing ship. Trust him? I see no reason to trust him. But do I believe he means no ill intentions towards us? I do. If he wished, he would have exterminated us using the spirit stones as bait. Instead he has returned them. The Farseer would continue up the steps before disappearing into the interior. The Corsair Prince turned his head slightly towards the direction that the Legion Commander had disappeared to, before begrudgingly bowing his head slightly. As much as he detested it, handing the spirit stones back at least deserved his respect for this enemy.

As the transport would cloak itself and take off towards the Corsair's Wraithship, Catriona chuckled slightly. "Commander, you surprise me. I assumed you would have us deactivate our null collars and cut them down." Kyreg shook his head slightly, his helmet almost barely moving to a casual observer. "Information comes from all sources, no battle can be won without proper intelligence. Be it from the lips of man or xenos, it matters little." The red haired Sister smirked slightly as she locked her bolter to her armour. "So then Commander, what next?" Kyreg looked over at the landing ship that still remained in palace ground, its pilot having long since been hypno-indoctrinated multiple times over the past few days, he grinned underneath his helmet. "Next, we find a way off this planet."

Sergeant Larhu stood in the massive enclosed garden behind the palace, unhelmed although the power sword was strapped around his waist. Behind him stood the rest of the 21st Harrow, also unhelmed. In front of them stood Sergeant Bronchius, his attire similar although his armour was purple instead of dusk blue.

"Tell me then where is the Inquisitor? You have asked me to come here by messenger to parlay and I have come to do so and seek explanation. You have taken our charge." Sergeant Bronchius stated in a loud voice used to command.

"He didn't take your charge. I did." The Sergeant turned to see Commander Kyreg striding towards them, also unhelmed.

"That is bold of you to announce then, do you not fear that my brothers and I will just attack? There are more of us than there are of you." Kyreg smiled slightly at the Sergeants words. "You should know as well as I do, cousin, that we know no fear. It was one of His first Decrees for us. But of course you were not around at that time." The Commander smiled bitterly, his memories from over ten millennia ago the purest ones he had of being a Legios Astartes. The Sergeant frowned slightly, looking at the Commander questioningly. "You may choose to attack Sergeant, but remember this. I have fought in the Emperors name for over ten thousand years, and I have killed fine better warriors than either of us." The Sergeant hesitated for a moment, seeing the insignia and colours on the Commander. "Alpha Legion.."He hissed. The rest of his men all gripped their bolters tighter as he saw the colours.

"Yes, and you would do well to remember who came from Legion and who comes from a diluted bloodline that you yourselves have no idea of."

"We are of the blood of Dorn, our progenitor and our source of honour." Kyreg smirked slightly. "Come now Soul Drinker. We both know that your geneseeds do not match those of the Praetorian." The Sergeant looked surprised momentarily. "Unlike you, I have met the Praetorian and you do not have his genes. I do not need to know about the tests that were carried out to know that. None of you have his resoluteness. None of you carry his unyieldingness nor his singular focused mind. Who your progenitor truly is, there are a few I can guess of."

The Soul Drinkers looked at him and blinked slightly, each hiding their own emotions behind a mask of granite. "That.. is falsehood, I warn you against speaking those words again."

Kyreg laughed before gesturing at the symbol on his own armour. "I know more than what the annals of your entire Chapter held in its librarium. The oldest of you count yourself in centuries still, but for those of us who once walked in Legion strength, we measure in millennia. Tell me, do you know who you remind me of the most?" One of the Space Marines looked as if he was about to say something but Sergeant Bronchius placed an armoured hand in front of him. "You should never trust the words of someone wearing those colours."

The members of the 21st chuckled quietly amongst themselves at those words, even Sergeant Larhu cracking a slight smile as Kyreg smirked slightly. "You do not need to trust my words, Soul Drinker. Tell me, what is it that you wish then? Why are you here."

The Sergeants face took on a slightly sour expression for a moment. "You have the Inquisitor. We wish for him back." Kyreg shook his head slightly. "That will be impossible. He's chosen to travel with the Eldar, they've promised him glimpse of knowledge that he could not hope to attain otherwise." Bronchius grimaced slightly. "Although I do not trust your words, there is not much I can do about that now. Then in that case, we have been marooned here." Kyreg nodded slightly. "It does appear to be the case, although I would say for your own sake Sergeant.. it is not unwell news for you."

Bronchius looked at him sharply. "And what is that supposed to mean?" Kyreg stared at the Astarte for a moment. "We delved into his mind, we opened it to see what were the things he had done in his life. Although I suppose it depends on how far you have fallen yourself Sergeant. There is nothing that the Inquisitor wanted in life, that would have resulted in anything good for your Imperium."

The Soul Drinker Sergeant paused for a moment. "And what is that supposed to mean? Why would you hold any concern over the Imperium?"

Kyreg chewed on his bottom lips for a moment, a very human gesture he had picked up from the various times he had been embedded with Imperial Army or local human troops to overthrow a government on a planet. "I don't know if you would call it concern. It is something that I had a hand in, at least one of the bricks and some mortar on it had my hand on it. Yet, it is not concern. It's disappointment."

At those words, Bronchius took a step forward but the slight sound of metal on metal generated by Larhu drawing his power sword an inch arrested the full movement of the now angered veteran Sergeant. "Disappointment? The Imperium will withstand the ashes of time while you will be gone." Kyreg nodded in agreement. "I don't doubt it. But what do you think would happen if the Emperor still walked? The Custodians would march to war once again but instead of the enemy within, heads will be chopped and mortals in Terra itself will be held accountable for the path which the High Lords have taken His empire. The Imperium as the Emperor imagined it was a perfect war machine, and a place of absoluteness for humanity. Absolute fealty, absolute safety, humanity guided safely by His hands towards a new age where the stars belong completely to Man. No, not with the Inquisition letting its own run amok, nor with the Ecclesiarch having its own private army or even existing. No, the Emperor would call His Wolves and accompany him on his march towards war. I imagine even Guilliman would be held to account for the way he left things. The Emperor had never been anything less than absolute with his Sons. Failure resulted in rebuke, whether it be His words or spoken through the guns held by his other Sons."

Bronchius seemed to be a bit shaken, although Larhu's head could be seen dipping slightly in agreement. "You would dare imagine what the Emperor would do? What about the Heresy? The betrayal that tore the Imperium asunder?"

Kyreg laughed, a harsh bark that sounded more akin to a bolter going off. "Horus was magnificent, a commander that was peerless in his battle making. But each of the progenitors were all very much cursed with the same mortal faults but magnified. Each of the progenitors held fault. Sides were chosen long before true brothers turned arms upon each other. No, this was almost inevitable. It was too easy for the ruinous powers to dig their claws into the minds of the progenitors. Your progenitor… he had the same folly as Lupercal; pride. Their prides were each amplified beyond what mortal men could imagine, but that was the Primarchs, and in hindsight I wonder if the Emperor had too much of the mortal pride in him as well."

"You dare mock the Emperor of Mankind?" Bronchius hissed as he placed a hand firmly on the chainsword at his hip. "Do you truly believe you understand anything about the Emperor? You who has never once fought for Him?" The Sergeant growled at this and lunged at Kyreg, only for Kyreg to take a step back while drawing his phase sword at the same time, slicing the chainsword in half in one fluid motion. The Sergeant paused as he looked at the destroyed chainsword in his hand. "You protest but when have you fought for Him? Which battle plans did he direct that you participated in? Which one of the worlds did you take by His decree? Tell me Soul Drinker. Tell me then, if you have never met Him, how many drops of blood have you shed for Him?"

The Soul Drinker calmed down at these words although the other members of his squad looked at the Legion Commander uneasily. "You have fought for the Imperium. I have always fought for the Emperor. Those are two very different things. Do not suggest to me, Soul Drinker, that the High Lords are the equivalent to the Emperor. The only one who had ever been allowed to speak with his full authority was the Sigillite. The Imperium is the reason why you do not even know who your progenitor is." There was a long pause in the room as the two sides of Astartes stared at each other.

"So what now then, Soul Drinker? What is your next step?" Kyreg asked with a voice of authority that had once commanded more Astartes than even the High Lords could ever imagine seeing. "Next, I do not know. We have no Chapter to go back to, nor Monastery."

"Then you are in the same situation as we are."

 _Nameless Desert_

The sand began to melt slowly as a shape began to take form slowly, a large tomb like structure appearing out of the massive hole in the ground itself, almost like a pyramid but with a square roof. Around it the thousands of slaves continued to chant the unholy words that brought the structure closer to the surface. Finally it seemed the structure stabilized and the massive hole slowly disappeared underneath it, the new structure standing but the chanting didn't stop.

The structure had smooth polished walls with medium sized bricks made up of a clear crystal, showing its contents. Skeletons from humans, to vaguely humanoid to even stranger alien creatures that have never been seen through the eyes of humanity before, each brick holding remains within. The door way was held open by glowing green marble, the harsh sunlight causing the arch on the door way to flash a brilliant emerald. The chanting finally stopped after alien flames alighted in the hallways of the building, and a soft whistling could be heard from within. The slaves then stood up as red robed mortals began to walk through the lines, each carrying a razor sharp knife to carve a symbol onto the topless slaves that stood motionless, each grimacing only slightly in the pain caused by the knife.

As the red robbed cultists reached the base of the pyramid, standing a small distance back, were those who wore green cloaks that wrapped around themselves, although the las rifles and telltale signs of body armour underneath them were an obvious sign that these men were not cultists. After a moment, a woman who was sitting in front of these armed men stood up from the seat that had been set in the sand and held her hands up, before uttering a single word. A loud crack could be heard as suddenly, the souls of every one of those slaves were ripped out of their body and sent into the structure, the green light turning slowly to red as more and more souls filled it. The light began to get more and more red until it was a dark crimson colour, a hauntingly cold smile on her face the only clue that the effect had been desired. Soon from the top of the pyramid was a small crack and dark purple glow as a small stone on it was lifted out of the small altar that it had been lain on and floated in the air slightly. Another word of the darkest warpcraft sent it flying into her hand and she examined it carefully, clicking her tongue lightly inside her mouth and smiled.

She turned to the green caped man beside her and chuckled slightly. "What do you think Urik? Is that sufficient for you?"

The bearded man shook his head. "The potential for this is limitless.. imagine billions upon billions. This is only a small sip of the fountain of souls."

She laughed lightly before she stood up, the two of them walking a short distance away. "What do we do about these red cloaked freaks then? Suggestions?" The man shrugged slightly. "They have been useful to us. Perhaps they can be of even more use. After all, ten thousand bodies, that can prove to be quite useful to our benefactor."

Natasha would nod although deep down inside her blackened soul, she wished nothing more than to drink deeply of the blood of these cattle. She had gotten her gift of Chaos a long time ago, in exchange for one of the most treasures sacrifices. Her great great grandfather had a long time ago became a Blood Angel, so all she could ever heard growing up were stories of the glories he had done for the Emperor. Of course none of that meant much to Natasha, but the seed of hatred had been planted. Her accomplishment had meant little, not when a relative was one of the Emperor's Angels. She grew bitter, and more dark inside until she had been conscripted. She had fought in the Guard, becoming ever more fascinated by blood. The different colours of blood that were formed depending on what the person felt before they bled. Where they bled. It was all fascinating to her until during her final year in the Guard, they fought a pitched battle against a rebellion, until the last of her company remained.

 _Twenty years prior_

"Incoming!" The Sergeant screamed out as mortar shells streaked over and landed amidst their position, the broken down houses barely sufficient enough to block out the blast itself as shrapnel rained everywhere. She would stare at her hand where a long cut had formed from a piece of shrapnel, fascinated by the way the cut would drop out blood slowly in perfect tiny ruby pearls before Richard grabbed her and shoved her down as more shells rained into their position.

"Natasha, keep your fucking head down unless you really want to grow up to be a sponge." Her Corporal yelled at her over the din of the shells landing. She managed an awkward smile to Richard before nodding at the Corporals general direction.

"We have a lot of movement, Corporal, get on the horn with HQ. We need fire support now! Other wise our position is going to be overrun."

The Corporal nodded in response before picking up the radio receiver only to notice the multiple holes caused by the shelling and tossed it onto the ground with a sharp sigh. The Sergeant looked over and shook his head before leaning his las rifle out the window and began firing. "Overrun it is."

She hated firing the las gun. Not because she wasn't a good shot, she was a dead eye shot but she hated that the las bolts cauterised the wounds. She envied those on the stubber, where every shot hitting human flesh would create beautiful lacerations throughout their bodies, but unfortunately she couldn't exactly find a stubber to use.

"Sergeant? What's our plan?" One of the privates, a Private Siggurns asked. "The fuck do you think Siggurns? Keep shooting and hope we don't die." The Sergeant sighed slightly with annoyance as he resumed firing. Natasha kept firing but she knew that her life was done. She sighed internally, annoyed at the fact that even at her imminent death, she couldn't have at least a shell land where the other squad was just so she can catch sight of a beautiful fountain spray of blood. Shaking her head, she was about to load in another battery when suddenly, there was a loud woosh from above as six red armoured figures dropped to the ground in front of them, ignoring some of the las fire that struck their armour. Without any words, they simply stood and waited until the enemy got close enough and then they charged. With chainswords revving, they danced the most beautiful dance through the enemy, disembowelling and cutting apart the humans with ease while Natasha could only watch.

"The Emperors Angels! They're with us, we cannot lose then. Forward! Up and at em Guardsmen!" The Sergeant yelled out, jumping out from behind the shelter and leading the rest of the company forward behind the Assault marines. She recognized their colours, knowing them to be from the Blood Angels and she gripped her las rifle that much tighter with age old anger still pent up from her youth. However before they could get too far, a long burst of bolter fire cut down most of the company as rockets were launched into the melees that the Blood Angels had been involved in. After multiple explosions, one of them staggered back and collapsed almost in front of her. She froze as she stared at him, his helmet scorched as the massive hole in his chest began to leak out blood. Something prompted her to take out her bayonet and slowly pushed it in between the seals that sat in between the helmet and the breast plate, stabbing through until the 12 inch blade was exited the other side. She sat there fascinated by the sight before something told her to cut the head clean off. She began to saw back and forth and saw the most delightful streams of blood pouring out of the ever expanding wound until the head fell off. But she saw these two organs inside the neck, not something that a normal human would have and she would reach in to grip them and rip them out. Staring at the two large sacs, she was unsure why she did it. One part of her screamed at her to leave those and pick up the head. The other part however, a smooth soft voice in her head coaxed at her, whispered to her to take a bite. Eventually, she did. She took a bite of the heavy meaty sacks and instantly, something changed. Something that should have tasted like raw blood and meat instead tasted sweeter than ambrosia, and quenched a thirst in her that she didn't know she had.

Coughing slightly from how rich the blood was, she suddenly collapsed onto the ground and began retching, throwing up the protein bar she had eaten earlier but oddly enough, there wasn't a single trace of blood. That's when she realised that the sound she had begun to hear was the sound of the heavy bolter but not the gun fire itself but rather the sound of each clink of the belt. She would look over the battlefield and see the carnage for what it was, every drop of blood was almost in slow motion to her before she would drink deeply from the neck of the dead Astarte, her thirst subsiding slightly. With a bit of effort, she would shove the body away from her, surprised that she could lift such a heavy weight before collapsing onto the ground.

The battle had been over for hours, and the four tall dark looming shapes stood over her, discussing amongst themselves quietly about what they had seen her do. One of them nodded, and she was draped in a dusk blue blanket and covered up, before being carried off by these giants.


End file.
